New Mets ace Max Scherzer hopes to pitch Friday vs. Nationals

The New York Mets were dealt a brutal one-two punch of injury woes when two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom was temporarily shut down with a stress reaction in the scapula of his pitching shoulder before a report surfaced that three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was dealing with some sort of hamstring issue. 

While deGrom is essentially out indefinitely, the Mets reportedly believed last Friday Scherzer would be good to go for this Thursday's Opening Day matchup at the Washington Nationals, his former club. That apparently was a little too optimistic, though. Mike Puma of the New York Post noted on Tuesday that the 37-year-old tested his right hamstring in a bullpen session earlier in the day and now expects to take the bump Friday in Washington. 

Either Tylor Megill, Trevor Williams or David Peterson is on track to start for New York on Thursday. 

Scherzer spent over six full seasons with the Nationals and helped them win the 2019 World Series before he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer. He then signed a three-year contract worth $130 million with the Mets ahead of the lockout during the fall. 

As for deGrom, it's thought he will remain sidelined through at least the end of May. An elbow injury cost him the second half of the 2021 season, and he hasn't faced a live batter in a meaningful game since July 7.