Mets record since losing Max Scherzer is better than anyone could have expected

The New York Mets lost Max Scherzer on May 18 in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. They secured the win on that day, lifting themselves up to 25-14 on the year.

Normally, losing a player like Scherzer might decimate a team’s momentum. The replacement wouldn’t be nearly as good. The team might feel a little uneasy about where they stand in the division.

Of course, the Mets already had a big lead in the National League East. And while it has shrunk because of the way the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies played at the beginning of June, the Mets held on strong. Following the win in the game when Scherzer was injured, the team was 25-14 on the year. Following his rehab start on Tuesday, they are now 45-25.

The Mets have gone 20-11 since Max Scherzer’s injury

That’s a pretty good stretch of baseball. Losses have been so few, we can count most of them off of memory.

The Mets lost twice to the Los Angeles Dodgers, twice to the San Diego Padres, and once to the Los Angeles Angels on their road trip. The most recent one came against the Houston Astros on Tuesday while Scherzer was with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies working his way back. That’s more than half of the losses and we all remember each of them.

Scherzer is expected to possibly rejoin the Mets this Sunday to face the Miami Marlins—a team the club just took care of at home over the weekend with three more wins and a single loss. How Scherzer responds physically today will let us know whether or not he is on track to return to the major leagues.

Scherzer managed to go 3.1 innings and throw 65 pitches in his rehab appearance. He gave up 3 hits, a walk, 2 runs, and christened 6 batters with a strikeout versus a future Hall of Famer.

As well as the Mets have managed in his absence, getting him back is vital. The combination of David Peterson and Trevor Williams starting games for them becomes a drain over time. Each has been limited in innings. And to have both of them starting regularly for the Mets, in the absence of Tylor Megill as well, places a greater burden on the bullpen.

We should expect Scherzer’s first start with the Mets to have a pitch limit but nothing extreme. If he could get 65 pitches in through 3.1 frames, it’s possible only 15 more could get him through five.