New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer is dealing with a minor hamstring issue. Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Mets ace Max Scherzer should be 'OK for Opening Day' despite hamstring issue

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 4/1/22

Fans of the New York Mets must be hoping they're victims of an elaborate April Fools' Day prank as they prepare for their weekends.

Just hours after the Mets announced that ace and two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom was being shut down for at least a month with "a stress reaction" in his right (throwing) scapula, WFAN personality Evan Roberts broke news that three-time Cy Young Award winner and free-agency acquisition Max Scherzer is dealing with some sort of hamstring issue:

. @EvanRobertsWFAN is talking on WFAN about a potential Max Scherzer hamstring issue. What I hear from Mets is they think he’ll be ok for the opener.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) April 1, 2022

According to SNY MLB insider Andy Martino, Mets fans can breathe a little easier, as he reports the club believes Scherzer is "going to be okay for Opening Day."

"I checked that out and what I’m told from the team is that they do think, right now, that Scherzer’s going to be okay for Opening Day," Martino explained during an appearance on SNY's "Baseball Night in New York."

MLB insider Jon Heyman and Anthony DiComo of the league's website offered additional information:

Max Scherzer is said unconcerned about a hamstring “tweak.” Thought very minor at this point.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 1, 2022

Scherzer is still scheduled to start an intrasquad minor league game tomorrow at the Mets' spring complex. That will obviously be a needed test, but I'm not sensing a ton of worry from the organization. https://t.co/xlhsy25lmJ
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) April 1, 2022

Scherzer joined the Mets on a three-year contract reportedly worth $130 million before the lockout and, per SNY, has posted a 2.45 ERA with 12 strikeouts across 11 innings of spring training work.

As for deGrom, the 33-year-old who hasn't taken the bump for a meaningful game since July 7 of last year and who missed the entire second half of the 2021 season with a low-grade tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, is expected to miss a "significant" portion of at least this spring.

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