The New York Mets and Max Scherzer were hopeful the star right-hander would be able to return from injury on Sunday and start against the Miami Marlins. Unfortunately, that didn't end up coming to fruition, as Scherzer remains on the IL and is now expected to need another rehab start before returning to the Mets' rotation.
Via the NY Post, Scherzer revealed why he's going in for another rehab start, indicating that there were a number of boxes he needed to check off in order for him to pitch Sunday, and he wasn't able to do so.
Article Continues Below“In order to be able to pitch in the big leagues Sunday, I was going to have to be perfect and there was going to be a lot of stipulations even for me pitching in a game, so I couldn’t check that box. I need to repeat this process again, go through the turn again, and for me I am focusing on the rehab right now and making sure it is strong and getting back.”
Scherzer is now scheduled to return to Double-A Binghamton and make a second rehab start on Tuesday, after which he'll continue rehabbing his injury and hope to be back with the Mets by the weekend. The 37-year-old made clear that he doesn't consider this to be a setback in his injury.
“I just came in the next day and I was sore, as expected. I am doing a lot. I passed all the tests, there is no setback whatsoever, so this is just the nature of coming back from this injury.”
No firm date is set for Scherzer's return to the big leagues, though a more-detailed update can be expected following his start on Tuesday at Double-A. In his first rehab start, Scherzer pitched 3.1 innings and threw 65 pitches.