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Washington Nationals: Max Scherzer Can’t Catch a Break

By Ross Shinberg

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 01: Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park on May 1, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 01: Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park on May 1, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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The Washington Nationals dropped their sixth game in seven tries last night.  The team is now 1-6 in Max Scherzer’s starts this season.

Washington Nationals ace pitcher Max Scherzer deserves better than the team he is surrounded by right now.

After last night’s 5-1 defeat against the St. Louis Cardinals, Scherzer was charged with his fourth loss on the season.

Since his first Cy Young award win with the Nationals in 2016, the most losses Scherzer has accumulated in a season is seven.  Just over a month into 2019, Scherzer is more than halfway to surpassing that.

However, Scherzer is not “earning” those losses.  Scherzer is still posting absurd numbers:

  • FIP: 2.14
  • K/9: 12.04
  • BB/9: 1.36
  • HR/9: 0.78

Oh, and Scherzer now owns the highest WAR of any pitcher in Major League Baseball.

Of his seven starts this season, only one of them is objectively bad (6 ER, 11 H allowed to Miami on April 20).

Other than that one hiccup, Scherzer is meeting his lofty expectations.

But why isn’t Scherzer getting the wins he so very much deserves?  It’s simple: The offense is not producing.

In the Nationals’ six losses under Scherzer, the offense has averaged 2.0 runs per game.

If you can believe it, the Nationals scored more runs in Scherzer’s lone win than they have in the six losses.

On April 7 against the Mets, the Nats scored 12 runs while Scherzer held the Mets to four earned runs.  If you remember, that is the game in which the Nats led 12-1 at one point, and gave back eight unanswered runs in the final three innings.

In the six losses, the Nats scored three runs three times, and then zero, one, and two runs one time each, equalling 11 runs.

Twelve runs in one game compared to 11 runs over six games.  How on Earth does that happen?  I suppose the answer is, only in D.C.

Next. Strasburg Adapts Pitching Style. dark

Scherzer’s next start will come against the Milwaukee Brewers next week.  On the road against a top team in baseball, Scherzer will need his teammates more than ever to come away with a victory.

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