Mets ace Scherzer likely out for month

An MRI on Thursday confirmed a left oblique injury for New York Mets righthander Max Scherzer, MLB Network reported.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner likely is headed to the injured list and could be sidelined up to a month.

Scherzer, 37, exited after 5 2/3 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals with discomfort in his left side Wednesday night. The righthander earned the win to improve to 5-1 with a 2.54 earned-run average in eight starts.

Scherzer, facing likely fellow future hall-of-famer Albert Pujols, made a throat slashing motion and appeared to say, “I'm done” after sailing a slider out of the strike zone. He departed after a brief consultation with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, manager Buck Showalter and a trainer.

“In that Pujols at-bat, just felt a zing on my left side and just knew I was done,” Scherzer said after the game. “Don't know exactly what the exact injury is, but (I've) never had a left-side injury before. So when I felt it, I just knew there’s no way you can throw another pitch. So just get out of there.”

Scherzer signed a threeyear, Us$130-million contract with the Mets in November. An eight-time all-star, Scherzer is 195-98 with a 3.15 ERA and 3,079 strikeouts in 415 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Mets.

PREDATORS EXTEND COACH HYNES

Nashville Predators head coach John Hynes signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.

Financial terms were not disclosed for Hynes, who owns a 92-64-10 record since replacing Peter Laviolette in January 2020.

The Predators (45-30-7, 97 points) were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of this season’s NHL playoffs.

Hynes, 47, had been signed through the 2021-22 season with a team option for 2022-23. He coached the New Jersey Devils from 201519 and posted a 150-159-45 record. His career record in the playoffs is just 4-15.

KERBER REACHES FIRST CLAY SEMI SINCE 2016

No. 2 seed Angelique Kerber of Germany advanced to her first semifinal on clay since 2016 with a three-set win against No. 8 Magda Linette of Poland Thursday at the Internationaux de Strasbourg tennis tournament in France. Kerber converted four of nine break points in a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory.