This archive report was first published on 28 October 2019.
Published on October 28, 2019, Nationals Manager Dave Martinez made a shocking announcement around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday: Max Scherzer would not start in Game 5 of the World Series due to spasms in his neck and upper back, near his throwing arm.
Joe Ross, a former starter who pitched mostly out of the bullpen this season, would take the mound instead. Ross had thrown 19 pitches over two strong innings in Game 3 on Friday.
The Nationals will have to lean on one of their weaknesses: their bullpen. Scherzer had been receiving treatment but woke up on Sunday “really hurting,” Martinez said. Scherzer is known as one of the most competitive players in baseball, so his spasms must be very serious to force him out of a World Series game.
Despite the setback, Martinez expressed hope that Scherzer could come back and pitch in relief in Game 6 on Tuesday if the season was on the line. However, if there was a Game 7, Martinez said he would turn to Scherzer. Stephen Strasburg is slated to start Game 6.
“He’s really upset about it,” Martinez said of Scherzer. “I’ve never seen — believe me — I’ve never seen Max this quiet. He’s very quiet.”
Meanwhile, the Astros' win on Saturday night brought another encouraging development for Houston: the return of Alex Bregman’s bat. Bregman, the star third baseman who had the Astros’ second-highest on-base-plus-slugging percentage (1.015) during the regular season, broke out of his slump on Saturday, going 3 for 5 with five R.B.I.
