NEW MET SCHERZER’S DEAD ARM? BLAME DODGERS PITCH COUNT, MAX SAYS
By Sam Bush
Max Scherzer met the New York press yesterday after his signing with the Mets.
Naturally, his “dead arm” in October Dodgers playoffs was a topic of interest.
He ran out of stamina in 4 1/3 innings in Game 2 of the NLCS.
He was slated to start six days later in Game 6 but his arm never recovered.
He was acquired from the Nationals in July for that moment and he decided he couldn’t deliver. He said he was flummoxed. Upon reflection, he believes the Dodgers’ pitching plan during the regular season led to the disappointing ending.
“We made decisions to give extra days out on a consistent basis and watch our pitch counts for the postseason,” Scherzer said. “
I just feel like that lowered my capacity so that when I tried to do the 2019 formula of being able to pitch out of the ‘pen, my arm wasn’t able to respond to that because I came from a lower pitch count, per se. That’s why I didn’t get hurt. That’s why I didn’t hurt myself, but I was definitely compromised trying to execute what I was trying to do in 2019.”
