Max Scherzer Dealing With Side Discomfort

Star Nationals hurler Max Scherzer said today that he’s dealing with some discomfort in his side, as MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato (links to Twitter) was among those to report.

The issue led the team to give him a break from a scheduled competitive spring outing. But the excellent right-hander was still capable of throwing a 60-pitch pen session.

Scherzer says he’s dealing with an “ailment,” not an injury. The muscles in that region are a bit over-taxed after his last start, he explained, but he’s “absolutely not” concerned.

“There’s not even a strain,” Scherzer said, emphasizing that he won’t need to undergo an MRI. “This is purely just a fatigue, endurance thing,” he said.

Scherzer has been one of the game’s ultimate workhorses in recent seasons, but did miss a handful of starts in 2019. The long-dominant hurler also dealt with a neck issue during the World Series.

The champion Nats pushed their top arms to the limit last October, so they’ll need to mindful as they ramp back up in camp. Scherzer is 35 years of age, it’s fair to note, though he obviously pushes himself to remain in peak shape and he says his elbow and shoulder are in great form.