Max Scherzer is back on the injured list, retroactive to July 26, with continued issues with a mild rhomboid strain that dates back to a start on June 30.
Scherzer (9-5, 2.41 ERA, 5.4 WAR) already spent one stint on the 10-day IL earlier this month. The 35-year-old ace returned on July 25, but was clearly not himself in a five-inning outing against Colorado, leaving after making a series of awkward pickoff throws in his final inning of work in that start.
The loss of Scherzer to the injured list is a huge blow for Washington, which begins a three-game series against NL East leader Atlanta tonight.
The Nationals have come back from a 19-31 start to go 37-18 since May 24, with Scherzer posting a 7-0 record in nine starts over that stretch.
Stephen Strasburg (14-4, 3.26 ERA, 4.5 WAR) has won 10 of his last 11 decisions, and Patrick Corbin (8-5, 3.25 ERA, 3.8 WAR) has a 3-0 record and 1.60 ERA over his last seven starts dating back to June 19.
Outside of the Big Three, though, the Nats have had issues. Anibal Sanchez (6-6, 3.63 ERA, 2.8 WAR) spent some time on the IL in May, though he has been a lights-out 6-0 with a 2.58 ERA since returning on May 29.
The Nats have not been able to find a reliable fifth starter, an issue highlighted over the weekend when manager Dave Martinez had to go to a staff day in a 9-3 loss on Saturday to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Washington called up Erick Fedde (1-1, 3.40 ERA, 1.4 WAR) to take Scherzer’s spot on the 25-man roster.
The Scherzer-to-IL news comes on the eve of the 2019 MLB trade deadline, which is 4 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday.
Story by Chris Graham
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