The New York Mets hosted the Seattle Mariners at Citi Field on Friday night and there was a special first pitch ceremony scheduled for Japanese Heritage Night. But Max Scherzer wasn’t interested in any of that.
As Mikio Mori, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States, attempted to the take the mound, he found himself blocked by Scherzer. The Mets ace was warming up and proceeded as if Mori didn’t exist.
Eventually, a Mets employee had to rush onto the field and call Mori off.
There’s a level of intensity to Scherzer that every team would love, but it’s unfortunate Mori paid the price for that. He likely had his entire family in the stands for what was supposed to be a magical moment. Instead, he jogged off with baseball in hand and a mild level of embarrassment.
Scherzer, meanwhile, gave up just one run and struck out six over seven innings. But in the end, the Mets blew it late and fell to the Mariners, 2-1.
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