WATCH: New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer strikes out three batters with insane fireballs
Don't tell Max Scherzer that Major League Baseball Spring Training is not to be taken too seriously. The New York Mets pitcher has been showing plenty of heat on the mound. During a Spring Training matchup against the Miami Marlins on Monday, Max Scherzer was already in midseason form, surrendering only three hits through five innings, while striking out five hitters. The most impressive portion of the outing was in the 4th inning, when Scherzer acquired all three of his outs via strikeout.
The unfortunate recipients of Scherzer's excellence, Jesus Sanchez, Avisail Garcia, and Joey Wendle looked a mixture of both overwhelmed and overmatched against the three-time Cy Young award winner.
Max Scherzer struck out three Marlins in the 4th inning 🤩 https://t.co/XUsfIiNwyb
If this outing is a preview of what's to come for Max Scherzer, then New York Mets fans are in for a memorable ride in 2022
Scherzer came to the New York Mets with a lofty price tag, with the veteran right-hander signing a three-year contract for $130 million. The average salary of $43.3 million awarded to Scherzer by billionaire owner Steve Cohen was the highest annual salary awarded to any Major League Baseball player in the history of the game.
Coming off a season in which he produced 5.2 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and an Earned Run Average (ERA) of 2.46, Scherzer was dealt from the Washington Nationals to the Los Angeles Dodgers with All-Star shortstop Trea Turner.
Max Scherzer took his performance to an entirely new level with the Dodgers, going undefeated for the remainder of the season and producing a sparkling 2.16 ERA in the playoffs. After losing to the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series, Scherzer entered free agency, ready for a new challenge in a new city.
This will be something of a new experience for Scherzer, as he enters a team where he will have to constantly battle with the best pitcher in his own rotation.
Scherzer aligns perfectly with the strategy put forth by the New York Mets, as Cohen, Mets President Sandy Alderson and new General Manager Billy Eppler sought to add major talent, while not sacrificing draft picks on players saddled with Qualifying Offers.
This yielded fellow new additions such as outfielders Starling Marte and Mark Canha as well as All-Star infielder Eduardo Escobar. This, in concert with trading for All-Star starter Chris Bassitt, burdens the Mets with great expectations. However, if Max Scherzer can deliver the New York Mets a title, every penny of his megadeal will be worth it.