Max Scherzer was scheduled to start for the Mets on Sunday against the Athletics, but Jose Butto will now take the hill tomorrow and Scherzer will be pushed to Wednesday. Mets manager Buck Showalter told the New York Post’s Mike Puma (Twitter links) and other reporters that Scherzer has some “lingering soreness” in his side, though Scherzer said that scans of the area below his scapula didn’t reveal any structural damage.
Butto was tentatively expected to receive a spot start at some point during the Mets’ road trip, so today’s news seems mostly precautionary in nature, notwithstanding Scherzer’s injury history. There might also be a bit of gamesmanship at play, since rather than face the struggling A’s, Scherzer is now lined up to face the Dodgers on Wednesday in a game with more implications on the NL playoff race.
More from around the NL East…
- Orlando Arcia’s microfracture in his left wrist will be re-evaluated in 10-14 days, the Braves told reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Bowman). Arcia was placed on the 10-day injured list yesterday and will obviously miss more than the minimum number of days, but a more thorough timeline won’t be known until Arcia is next examined by doctors. Arcia entered the season with the twin momentum of a new contract extension and a role as Atlanta’s starting shortstop, and he was hitting a hefty .333/.400/.511 over 50 plate appearances prior to his injury.
- Edmundo Sosa left today’s game due to discomfort in his lower back, according to the Phillies. Since Philadelphia was trailing 8-0 to the Reds at the time of Sosa’s departure in the bottom of the sixth, it could be that Sosa was just being given a rest from the last few innings of what ended up as a 13-0 rout. If Sosa did have to miss any time, it would further stretch the depth of a Phillies infield that is already missing Rhys Hoskins and Darick Hall, as Sosa was seeing more action at third base while Alec Bohm had moved to first base.
- In other Phillies injury news, Ranger Suarez will throw to live hitters during a simulated game on Tuesday, Scott Lauper of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Suarez has yet to pitch this season due to forearm inflammation, and he’ll be facing at least prominent batter during that sim game in the form of Bryce Harper, who will face live pitching for the first time in his rehab from Tommy John surgery. Initially given a return timeline of around the All-Star break, there continue to be hints that Harper might be back sooner, including the fact that both Harper and manager Rob Thomson don’t feel Harper will need a minor league rehab assignment before re-entering Philadelphia’s lineup. Given the Trajekt Arc video projection system installed at Citizens Bank Park, Harper can somewhat replicate facing MLB-level pitching during his batting cage work, rather than face live minor league pitching during a rehab assignment.
Announce Phillies season on 60-day IL.
They certainly love making it hard on themselves. I’m sick of hearing “it’s early.” Team is borderline unwatchable at the moment.
VonPurpleHayes;
As you know, a team in any sport does not compete with its players individual statistics vs. opposing teams individual players and their statistics. Games are on the field, court, or ice.
There is only so much a manger and his coaches can do. There has to be leadership on the field. Missing Harper is obvious. To fans that don’t follow the Phillies and look at his statistics and poor defense, they don’t realize how much Rhys Hoskins means to that team.
The Phillies are truly are in a tailspin.
I hate to write this because I love the sport of baseball so much – but teams being successful in today’s watered down MLB do so because they have less injuries to their key people than other teams do. That’s it. The insane way the game is played today is a prime cause of those injuries. FO actions, strategies, etc. only go so far. Teams are making transactions 4-5 times a week during the season because the last 7-10 guys on their roster can’t be trusted to stay on a ML roster for 162 games even if they’re healthy.
Bryce and Rhys are missed. Add in that while the Phillies have 2 terrific starting pitchers, the other starters will be fortunate to have a good game once every 3 starts. Right now they need some traction, and I don’t know where that comes from. I still watch the games some, but yes, they’re borderline unwatchable.
They need to make a move. I don’t know what one, but they need to. And this 16 game in a row stretch in April is a scheduling nightmare that the league shouldn’t have let happen.
The Phillies have been pathetic so far. I’m not sure if they can flip the switch and turn it around. This is far worse than the first part of the season last year with Girardi.
It’s actually around the same. I wouldn’t call it worse, but definitely not better.
Phillies lined up for the 3rd wild card again
Should be Phillies vs Cardinals and Dodgers vs Braves
Mets and Padres get byes
Hey, it got them to the World Series last year, as unlikely as it was.
Yeah but after they got rid of Girardi they were among the top teams. Their SOS score was consistently in the top 5 all season
It’s different this year though. No Hoskins, no Gibson, probably downgrade with Walker, Nola isn’t what he was
Aaron Nola is just as good as he’s ever been, while Scherzer, Verlander, and Carrasco are in decline.
@Camden453 — 4/11/23 on Senga: “I don’t think Senga will have any problem navigating a top lineup” You didn’t mention a “bottom lineup” like OAK, so I guess you’re right on that one.
Are you the one that threw poo-poo on Sean Murphy in favor of Contreras that gave him the kick-start he needed? If so, where can I send your Edible Arrangement?
Rundmc you don’t really get how baseball works. Senga did not have his good stuff today. It happens
A single outing where the pitcher doesn’t have his best stuff does not define who a pitcher is
“ Aaron Nola is just as good as he’s ever been”
Wow this guy hammerin hank doesn’t even watch the games
Nola peaked in 2018. He has not been the same since
Mutts, lol. They will wear their choker collars again
You do realize dont you that literally 29 out of the 30 teams “choke” at some point in the season
You do realize you’re on MLBTR where lifelong fans pretend they’re ignorant to the ebbs and flows of the season so they can descend into the histrionics they apparently need to get through the day.
@camden453 is that you Re Del Mundo???
Atl, please announce that Bozo-una has been released, a waste of space in left. Braves backups have proven to be more valuable than an .083 BA – The only thing Ozuna has working for him is his smirk.
KS pitchers just hit Acuna, seems like he has a target on his back. Every team seems to throw at Acuna, the Braves will not put up with that, watch out.
Braves are so cheap they only play Ozuna because they have to pay him. Can’t bear to release him
Rock & Troll Camden, good to have your seedy posts back. If Ozuna keeps failing, they will release him. He’s an embarrassment. all the way around.
He’s been failing for the last two seasons. Had a 70 OPS+ in 2021
Braves keep running him out there because they’re too cheap to cut him
It’s either that or they refuse to take the L and cut their losess
Either way it’s bizarre that they continue to hang on to him
I keep reading your posts because I’m too accepting of idiotic posts!
I won’t mute you Camden, because I had a troubled youth.
By the way, what team do you actually support?
The confederacy of dunces is always in opposition to the genius
Burp, fart, (scratch), sorry Camden, I had some more important issues to deal with…what where you saying?
John Kennedy was not a Toole
@DCartrow, the only poster who is weirder than me, might be you
Lets dance……
@ Curls. If you say run…..I’ll run with you.
“When a true genius appears, you can know him by this sign: that all the dunces are in a confederacy against him.”
Jonathan Swift
Yeah, had to mute the Camden clown. I don’t have any problem with trolling if it’s done well, his was not being done well.
Having a dissenting opinion is not trolling. But then I get that some people are delicate.
mute
And from no comments hidden to 8 just like that!
FREE Scott Kingery!
Casuals who say call up Baty should be shunned
We need a shun gun on you, dude…
Curly take a hint I don’t think he like likes you, you have to go back under your bridge and wait for someone else. You’re the biggest troll here
I’ve been on this site for 5 years, Latino, whose the troll here? If I was under the bridge I’d be leading the FBI to your corpse…
Hey Curley, would Seeley Booth and the squints be on the case?
Anytime you want to try curly let’s see you leave me as a corpse
Don’t know about a corpse, Latino but Curly just might render you somewhat stiffened.
Anyone who would be scared of Curly is a complete joke. He’s shown time and time again he’s just a troll living in his moms basement
Baty should be in the majors right now. We got three guys in Triple-A who had great spring trainings and good starts to the season in Baty, Veintos, and Mauricio. Yet, we called up Alvarez who had a poor spring, younger than all the players mentioned, and is clearly not ready. Give me Baty, Vientos, and Mauricio over Vogelfat, Locastro, and Guillorme any day of the week. Escobar should be in Guillorme’s role. The other 3 mentioned should be DFA’d, they can’t hit
Get well soon Edmundo! I’m getting pretty fed up watching the actual Cardinals, so I’ll try focusing on former Cardinals for a while.
DonOsbourne;
With a supposedly contending team primarily made up of veterans, it’s never a good idea to give the managers job to a first time manager.
It’s especially bad form when you fire an experienced manager that’s a respected baseball lifer because he’s doing things that work…..which the players understand but unfortunately the front office doesn’t.
You’re talking about exactly what the Lakers did and they’ve bee hot garbage b/c their coach has no idea what he’s doing and just wants to be friends with all the players.
While I don’t specifically blame Marmol for this season’s struggles, I concede your point. Shildt was fired for the wrong reasons after proving to be a positive influence on the team. I don’t know yet if Ollie is good or bad, but I he is inexperienced and sometimes it shows.
DonOsbourne;
You are correct in what you said under the other article about the way the Cardinals pitchers are getting too cute.
Most Cardinals players are not allowed to play baseball. Marmol is no more running that team than those 2 people on TV are running the American government.
cope harder
I mean……what can you say to that? Well put. Exactly.
Don’t watch the Phillies.
Yankees caught cheating again… nothing happens.
Today’s game, German caught with substance on hands. Told to go back in the dugout and wash his hands. They leave him in the game. According to the rules, he should have been removed from the game. Instead, Baldelli is ejected for telling umps how to do their jobs.
si.com/mlb/2023/04/15/twins-rocco-baldelli-blasts-…
all in the suit that you wear;
German is an inconsistent pitcher, more bad than good.
MLB is no different than the NBA (and now the NFL) in giving glamour players and glamour teams breaks.
I don’t care for Rocco Baldelli, but he’s right on this……and that’s
the point that’s been missing in America for decades now – what’s right is right…..not who says or does it.
Samuel: I need to read the rules over, but it is interesting that German all of a sudden failed a hand/glove check and had a career-high 11 strikeouts today.
What does that have to do with the NL East?
I have a different take, look at all the injuries across all MLB. It’s easy to say just cut Ozuna but guys are dropping like flies all over the league. It’s 14 games in folks and they are winning despite the injuries and lack of production from Marcel. He’s got a year left after this season, I think they will stand pat and if he has a stinker of the year they will release him in the offseason.
I agree. He’s hitting the ball hard, just not getting any results out of it. It’s not like he’s playing everyday. He did hit 23 HRs last year and is one of the leaders in exit velocity over his career. It’d be stupid to not keep him around at least as a right handed power threat to pinch hit with.
He might be a leader in that category but he can’t exit fast enough for me.
Also, he was really hitting well during spring training. The game he played before last, he looked locked in and hitting the ball hard, then last game he played he looked lost swinging at pitches way out of the zone.
IMO, when Harris comes back, they should just cut ties with him.
I think the Red Sox could use him as a replacement for Duvall
Hmmm, maybe spending over 200 million on 2 40 year old pitchers wasn’t such a good idea after all, wow, who knew?
Oh wait…
Anyone with a brain.
The Rays have spent 60 million this year. With Scherzer and Verlander both injured, thats about a little less than 3 Rays teams. Goes to show you how bad of a GM Silly Eppler is
Mets seem to be doing just fine so far.
He always has to whine about something.