It wasn't a breeze by any means, but Max Scherzer got back on track on Monday night by tossing five shutout innings, allowing just one hit and working around three walks to get the Mets their first win of the season against a team not named the Marlins.
For many, Monday's outing was big for the Mets ace. Coming off of two rough starts to begin the season, and facing a Padres lineup that jumped on him in last year's Wild Card Series opener, Monday was an opportunity to avoid all-out panic when it came to one of the team's last remaining healthy starters, and a chance to show that he is still capable of being an ace against a strong offense.
Scherzer believes that mission was accomplished.
"I thought I took a step in the right direction," Scherzer said. "I feel like I self-diagnosed that right. "I'm not broken. I wasn't broken after that Milwaukee start. I didn't have to reinvent the wheel, just had to fine-tune some things. That's baseball. Sometimes, if you follow the result, you make yourself go crazy at times. You have to reflect on what's actually happening and know where you're getting beat.
"I thought I identified the right things to be able to do, and I'm a better pitcher because of it."
Scherzer needed 97 pitches to get through five one-hit innings, which reflected periodic struggles to finish off hitters and get swings and misses. But in his first two starts, those putaway pitches turned into balls leaving the park, whereas on Monday, he was still able to get outs. So, Scherzer isn't where he wants to be, but he believes he is heading that way.
"I just know what I'm capable of when I pitch and locate," Scherzer said. "I think I can continue to get better and keep grinding and find my midseason form."
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
Listen live to WFAN:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker (just say 'Play W-F-A-N')
