Mets' Max Scherzer doubles down against pitch clock

While it has already made an impact on the timing of games, some pitchers are still opposed to it, including New York Mets ace Max Scherzer.

With Opening Day upon us, the pitch-clock era of Major League Baseball has begun. While it has already made an impact on the timing of games, some pitchers are still opposed to it, including New York Mets ace Max Scherzer.

Scherzer made his first Opening Day start in a Mets uniform Thursday, getting the win in New York's 5-3 triumph over the Miami Marlins. Scherzer was asked about his thoughts on the clock after the game.

“I love the pace, I don’t like the clock. I’ll double down on that,” Scherzer said. “I think the umpires should have discretion and turn the clock off.”

The clock had its fair share of criticism from the moment the MLB announced it would implement it this season. Scherzer is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball and has been for some time. For him to be so publicly against the pitch clock possibly resonates with fans who oppose it as well.

Scherzer used the new pace of play to his advantage Thursday, tossing five scoreless innings before allowing three runs in the sixth.

We've already seen some questionable calls thanks to the clock, one of them occurring in the Mets-Marlins game.

In the top of the sixth inning with runners on the corners, Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil hit a foul ball. Before the next pitch was thrown, a pitch-clock violation was called on McNeil. Not because he wasn't alert to the pitcher before the eight-second mark per the new rules, but because Pete Alonso took too long getting back to first base.

Moments like that will make the clock public enemy number one on the MLB landscape.