Dodgers' Scherzer to 'party first,' then start NLCS Game 1

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Max Scherzer Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Dodgers' Max Scherzer plans to 'party first,' then likely start NLCS Game 1

By Adam Stites | Last updated 10/15/21

Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer picked up the first save of his decorated career to secure the Los Angeles Dodgers a spot in the National League Championship Series. Less than two days after those late-game heroics, Scherzer is expected to be on the mound again for Game 1 against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters it's still "the plan" for Scherzer to start the NLCS opener, although he added that the team would check Friday to see how the pitcher is feeling after his Thursday night outing. Scherzer said the same, but added that his first priority was celebrating the victory.

#Dodgers Max Scherzer on whether he can start NLCS Game 1 Saturday: "I don’t know. Party tonight, figure it out tomorrow."
(h/t @jphoornstra)
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) October 15, 2021

Scherzer, 37, threw 13 pitches after entering in the ninth inning of the Dodgers' 2-1 win over the San Francisco Giants in Game 5. While he didn't allow a hit, the Giants' Kris Bryant advanced to first base on an error and Scherzer's final strikeout came with plenty of controversy. On the final pitch of the game, Wilmer Flores appeared to check his swing in time on a pitch well outside the strike zone, but first base umpire Gabe Morales ruled it a swing.

This "swing" ended the Giants' season ... pic.twitter.com/MAB5mhaYAq
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) October 15, 2021

"Obviously, you don’t want a game to end that way,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler told reporters after the game, via the Associated Press. “There’s no need to be angry about that. I just think it’s a disappointing way to end. There are other reasons we didn’t win today’s baseball game, so that was just the last call of the game.”

Scherzer was acquired by the Dodgers in a blockbuster trade with the Nationals in July that also sent Trae Turner to Los Angeles. The Dodgers were a perfect 11-0 in games started by Scherzer during the regular season, and the team won his start against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Wild Card Game. The Dodgers' first loss in a game Scherzer started came in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Giants.

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