Padres romp by Mets as Max Scherzer unravels in wild-card begin

NEW YORK — The goals of Mets followers have been supposed to return true on Friday evening. When Max Scherzer signed a three-year, $130 million contract with New York, the wild-card collection opener was the kind of sport Mets followers imagined the longer term Corridor of Famer would dominate, an necessary second setting the tone for a crew forward of a playoff run.

As a substitute, these fantasies have been shattered as Scherzer unraveled in his begin in opposition to the San Diego Padres, permitting seven earned runs on seven hits — together with giving up a career-high 4 residence runs — whereas putting out simply 4 batters in 4⅔ innings pitched in a 7-1 loss by New York.

Hours after Scherzer left the Citi Area mound, the moments of battle performed on a loop in his head.

“That is going to be a late evening for me,” Scherzer mentioned.

The harm began within the first inning when Padres designated hitter Josh Bell slugged a 419-foot opposite-field residence run that scored Jurickson Profar. Outfielder Trent Grisham added on within the second inning, hitting a house run to proper subject to increase the Padres’ result in 3-0. However the last straw for Scherzer’s night got here within the fifth, when Profar hit a house run to proper subject, scoring Ha-Seong Kim and Austin Nola, adopted by a Manny Machado solo blast to left-center-field, sending the Mets starter off to a refrain of boos from the 41,621 followers at Citi Area.

The Mets — who gained 101 video games within the common season, led the division for 174 days however ended up as a wild-card crew — now face elimination on Saturday with the Padres sending former Cy Younger award winner Blake Snell to the mound.

“We ended up with the identical file as any individual else in our division, and we’re getting a chance now,” mentioned Mets supervisor Buck Showalter. “We’ll get one tomorrow to proper the ship.”

Scherzer uncharacteristically struggled together with his command all through Friday’s outing; the seven earned runs have been essentially the most allowed by Scherzer in a postseason outing, his earlier excessive coming in a 2011 ALCS loss whereas a member of the Detroit Tigers.

After analyzing video from his begin, Scherzer mentioned his fastball didn’t have the identical motion that it usually does, sinking as an alternative of rising.

“I wasn’t in a position to command that fastball the way in which I often can,” Scherzer mentioned. “That is my bread and butter to have the ability to arrange every part else. When my fastball’s flat after which operating, that is often once I get hit lots. Clearly, tonight I received hit lots.”

It was the second straight disappointing begin from Scherzer; he beforehand allowed 4 runs on two residence runs and 9 hits in 5⅔ innings pitched in opposition to the Atlanta Braves in an important begin that led to New York falling out of rivalry for the division title.

Scherzer beforehand made two stints on the injured record, as soon as in Could with an indirect pressure and a second in September with left facet fatigue. When requested if harm performed a job in his current struggles, Scherzer mentioned they didn’t issue into his efficiency.

“I had a really feel for what was occurring within the Atlanta begin,” Scherzer mentioned. “I assumed I made the adjustment to get me proper. Tonight, I do not know why the fastball ran. I do not know why I did not have my good fastball, the way in which I can often pitch and find.”

The efficiency contrasted dramatically with the efficiency from Padres starter Yu Darvish, who dominated the Mets lineup all through the sport, permitting only one run on six hits in seven innings pitched.

“Clearly Max, with the expectations that he has for himself and what he is achieved for us and all through baseball, however Darvish is on prime of his sport and we knew that was going to be a problem,” Showalter mentioned. “He is simply received so many issues it’s important to defend.”

That Darvish was on prime of his sport meant the Mets wanted Scherzer to match the Padres ace. As a substitute, he fell approach quick.

“Baseball can take you to the best of highs and the bottom of lows,” Scherzer mentioned. “This is likely one of the lowest of lows.”