Max Scherzer Won't Make Weekend Start vs Braves After Suffering Minor Setback
The Nationals won't have their ace this weekend against the division-leading Braves as he gets treatment for his ailing back.
Max Scherzer received a cortisone shot to deal with an inflamed bursa sac he's been dealing with. The cortisone shot will sideline him for 4-5 days, causing Scherzer to miss his upcoming start as he remains on the IL.
Max Scherzer says he’s not pitching this weekend in Atlanta. He received a cortisone shot on Tuesday to clear up some inflammation in his bursa sac and it’s supposed to take about 4-5 days to clear up before he can throw a bullpen
— Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) July 19, 2019
Scherzer has been at the center of the Nationals' rise back to relevance this season, as the ace has a 9-5 record and 2.30 ERA in 19 starts this season. The former Cy Young winner has carried the team up the division standings as of late.
The Nationals sit 5.5 games back of the Braves in the NL East, but their recent surge has put them improbably at the top of the Wild Card race. Through the first two months of the season, everyone expected Washington to be big sellers at the deadline, but their strong play in the early part of the summer may have flipped the script.
Max Scherzer told the media that he will miss the series against the #Braves this weekend. @KelsWingert has the latest update on one of baseball’s best pitchers. pic.twitter.com/D6cKVPawuP
— FOX Sports: Braves (@FOXSportsBraves) July 19, 2019
Washington will hope to get Scherzer back at some point next week, as this unfortunate setback will cause him to miss what could be a pivotal start over the weekend.