Max Scherzer, sporting a 'nice shiner,' will pitch with broken nose
WASHINGTON - There is no physical force in baseball quite like Max Scherzer, a grunting, stomping, whirling mass of muscle and mechanics that coalesce to form arguably the game’s most dominant pitcher.
Wednesday night, however, Scherzer plans to perform his act under conditions he’s never experienced.
Scherzer broke his nose Tuesday while bunting during batting practice, but no matter: Manager Davey Martinez says Scherzer will start the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday evening at Nationals Park.
“He was very adamant about pitching,” Martinez said Wednesday morning of his Tuesday evening conversation with his ace, after the Nationals and Phillies were rained out a second consecutive night.
“His spirits were up last night. He said, ‘Hey, I’m pitching. Expect me to pitch tomorrow.’”
Martinez confirmed the assignment after the Nationals' 6-2 victory over the Phillies in Game 1.
It’s not known whether Scherzer will wear a protective splint around his nose or face. Martinez said the biggest concerns Wednesday were whether the swelling near his right eye worsened overnight, or if his breathing was affected while pitching. A CT scan taken Tuesday was negative.
Right now, he has one black eye, making the famously polychromatic Scherzer a tri-colored presence.
"I feel like only it could happen to him. He's going to go out there, thrive on it, be ready to go," Game 1 winner Patrick Corbin said of Scherzer after tossing seven excellent innings. "He's got a nice shiner there. He'll be ready to go. You know Max."
Scherzer's orders were to call pitching coach Paul Menhart upon awakening Wednesday with any overnight updates. Apparently, no news was good news, and 26th man Austin Voth will be available out of the bullpen; he was an option to start Game 2 if Scherzer couldn't answer the bell.
Not that anyone expects that from Scherzer, whose 2,585 career strikeouts are matched by nearly as many determined stalks around the mound, his ultimate safe place.
"He's good," says Martinez. "He's going to be out there for as long as we can have him out there."