Washington Nationals star pitcher Max Scherzer is once again dealing with an injury four days after returning from the injured list.
The team announced Monday that the three-time Cy Young winner had been put back on the injured list, retroactive to July 26, with a mild rhomboid strain. Erick Fedde has been called up from Double-A.
Scherzer, 35, has once again been Washington's ace this season, headlining a rotation that also includes Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin and Anibal Sanchez. The veteran has gone 9-5 with a 2.41 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 189 strikeouts in 134.1 innings.
But injuries have played a role in his 2019 campaign. He was placed on the 10-day injured list in July with a mid-back strain, which interrupted a brilliant nine-game stretch of starts before the All-Star break that saw him go 7-0 with a 0.84 ERA.
Scherzer returned for a start against the Colorado Rockies on July 25. He allowed three runs on four hits with eight strikeouts in five innings.
With Scherzer dealing with another injury, however, the cause for concern may be deepening. While the Nationals could turn to Fedde as their fifth starter while Scherzer is out of action, replacing the seven-time All-Star's impact on the mound is essentially impossible.
As the Nationals gear up for a late-season battle to earn a postseason berth, the loss of Scherzer for any amount of time could have serious ramifications.
Dave Martinez said he was relieved the famously intense Scherzer, known as "Mad Max," would be back on the mound, giving him an outlet for his competitive energy. But on Monday, Martinez said Scherzer needs to be cautious about his recovery.
"Right now, we just want him to understand, 'Let's just take our time and get it right so this doesn't continue to be an issue,'" Martinez said.
