Max Scherzer suffered a broken nose after being hit in the face during a bunting drill on Tuesday.
The Washington Nationals ace was in the cage during batting practice before the team’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He squared to bunt and caught the ball wrong. The ball skipped up and hit him in the face, leaving him bloodied.
Though Scherzer was initially expected to start in one of the team’s doubleheader games against the Phillies on Wednesday, the Nationals later said Scherzer had a broken nose and his status in the rotation was to be determined.
Scherzer is in the fifth season of a 7-year, $210 million deal he signed with the Nats prior to the 2015 season. He has delivered two Cy Young Awards, finished second in voting last season, and is 5-5 with a 2.81 ERA this season. He leads the National League with 136 strikeouts.
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