Scherzer seeking lost mojo
LOS ANGELES — Max Scherzer added a World Series title to his resume in 2019 with Washington but still recalls an earlier chance that eluded him.
“With Detroit, our 20122013-2014 teams, to not be able to punch through and get a ring, we all look back and really believe that, man, we had the teams to be able to do it,” Scherzer said Sunday. “Can’t believe that we didn’t. Unfortunately we had one shot at it, weren’t able to get it done.”
Scherzer, the now-Dodgers righthander, and Justin Verlander formed a formidable 1-2 rotation punch for Tigers teams that made the playoffs each year from 2011-14. Their lone World Series trip during that run came in 2012, when they were swept by the Giants.
Giants fans surely recall the finish of Game 4 — Sergio Romo freezing Miguel Cabrera with a third-strike fastball — but might not remember Scherzer starting the game for Detroit. Scherzer allowed three runs over 61⁄3 innings opposing Matt Cain, who allowed three runs in seven frames.
Of the lineup Scherzer faced that night, three Giants players are still with the team: Brandon Crawford, Buster Posey and injured Brandon Belt. With the Giants again an obstacle to his World Series aspirations, Scherzer was asked if he’d reflect on that night before taking the mound for NLDS Game 3 on Monday.
“Not at all, that’s too long ago,” Scherzer said. “That’s ancient in baseball terms. But the guys that are still there on their team, obviously they’re good for a reason. They’ve evolved. They’re able to adapt to the league and continue to make changes. And I’m sure they’re going to be as prepared as heck to face me and understand what I can do with the baseball. So it’ll be a heck of a challenge to go up against them.”
Scherzer, too, has outpaced the evolutionary curve. A three-time Cy Young winner, he was 15-4 with a 2.46 ERA in 30 starts this season for the Nationals and Dodgers, striking out 11.8 hitters per nine innings. The Nationals traded Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers on July 30, three days after Scherzer turned 37. In his first nine Dodgers starts, Scherzer went 7-0 with a 0.78 ERA.
His last three outings were less overpowering. Scherzer allowed five earned runs in each of his last two regular-season starts. He then started the NL wild-card game against St. Louis and lasted just 41⁄3 innings, throwing 94 pitches and allowing a run on three hits before manager Dave Roberts went to his bullpen in an eventual 3-1 walk-off win.
Sunday, Scherzer said he identified a mechanical issue in his lower half and “felt pretty good” throwing his bullpen session. He will start Monday on regular rest in Game 3 of a tied bestof-five series.
“The numbers you can always kind of debate, but the bottom line is that — and I know Max knows this — in the last three (starts), he hasn’t performed the way he expects,” Roberts said. “I just expect him to throw the ball extremely well tomorrow night.”
Where the Dodgers will face a Game 3 starter, Alex Wood, they know well as a former teammate, the Scherzer-Giants matchup is a kind of converse. Scherzer started against the Giants once this year and faced one batter in a game halted by rain. Before that, he last pitched against San Francisco in 2018.
“You don’t know until you know, but the unfamiliarity I think kind of tips the scale in the pitcher’s favor,” Roberts said. “I think … being more familiar with (pitchers) and familiarity with their characteristics and what the pitch mix is certainly helps the hitter. So I think that’s an advantage.”
Scherzer made clear that he considers this Giants lineup a challenge regardless.
“They just have different ways to beat you with different types of bats, righties, lefties,” Scherzer said. “Their bats right now are (Kris) Bryant, Crawford and Posey — I mean that’s the heart of their order and they’re getting a lot of production out of it — and then the bats that surround it as well. So they present challenges to you.
“You have to execute every pitch that you throw, because if you make mistakes against this team they’re going to beat you. They led the league in homers for a reason. So obviously they can take you deep if you make a mistake.”