Knuckle leaves Scherzer unsure he’ll pitch opener

Neither Max Scherzer nor Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker is certain the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner will be ready to pitch when opening day rolls around.

That’s because Scherzer is dealing with pain from a broken knuckle on the ring finger of his throwing hand, an injury that arose late season but wasn’t diagnosed until December. Baker said he’s thinking about contingency plans just in case his ace can’t pitch when Washington starts the season April 3.

“I’ve dealt with aches and pains and strains. This is a whole different ballgame,” Scherzer said Thursday. “When you start dealing with a fracture, rest is really your only option to make everything heal.”

Thursday was the first day of official workouts for Washington’s pitchers and catchers at the team’s new spring training facility in West Palm Beach. While others such as Stephen Strasburg, Tanner Roark and Gio Gonzalez stood atop a mound for a 10-minute bullpen session, Scherzer threw elsewhere.

Only this week did Scherzer start throwing baseballs at all in preparation for the season, and that was “with a modified grip, but not my true grip,” he explained. Before then, the righty was sticking to tossing tennis or lacrosse balls, because they were smaller and not as painful for him.

“There’s nothing any of us can do until he feels 100 percent,” Baker said, “and you certainly don’t want to rush him, because you’re thinking about the long haul.”

Scherzer called the problem with the bottom knuckle “essentially healed,” but he did not offer an answer when asked whether he’ll be ready for opening day.

“I don’t even want to comment on it, because I don’t even know what I’m going to be able to do or not,” Scherzer said. “It’d be unfair for me to even project or even talk about that.”