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NY Post
New York Post
7 Sep 2023


NextImg:Max Scherzer gets shelled in start vs. ex-Mets teammate Justin Verlander

Former Mets hurler Max Scherzer had an outing he’ll want to forget against one of his ex-teammates. 

Now with the Rangers, Scherzer was lit up on Wednesday during a crucial meeting with the Astros and Justin Verlander as he yielded a season-worst seven runs on six hits, which included three home runs.

Among the three homers that Scherzer surrendered was a grand slam to Jose Abreu, which put the Astros up 7-1 in the top of the third. 

The righty was facing Verlander — whom Scherzer played with in Detroit and in the Big Apple — for the first time in his career. 

Before Wednesday night, Scherzer had allowed just two home runs in his six starts since he was shipped to Texas by the Mets for Luisangel Acuna in the days before the trade deadline.

Max Scherzer (31) walks off the field after the first inning.
USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

Entering the game, he had a 2.21 ERA and allowed 19 hits in 36 ⅔ innings with Texas. 

Wednesday’s start matched Scherzer’s shortest of the year, with the other three-inning outing coming on April 19 when he was ejected — and eventually suspended — for a sticky substance.

The matchup had plenty of intrigue going into the game with the Rangers needing a win to avoid a sweep by the Astros. 

The Rangers came in a half game back of a playoff spot.

Before the meeting, Scherzer expressed excitement about getting to face his former teammate. 

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) walks off the field after he pitches against the Texas Rangers during the third inning

Justin Verlander walks off the field after getting out of the third inning.
USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

“That’ll be fun,” Scherzer told reporters, according to ESPN. “First time facing him. My whole career, I’ve got to face all the best guys in the world and I’ve got to play with all the best guys in the world. So I got to play with [Verlander] for a while.

“Now it’s going to be fun to actually go up against him.”

Houston Astros' Jose Abreu rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam off of Texas Rangers starting pitcher Max Scherzer

Jose Abreu rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam off of Max Scherzer.
AP

The two had a contentious relationship while they played with one another in Detroit, but the reunion in Queens appeared to help mend fences, though The Post’s Mike Puma reported in August that the two had occasional discord when Verlander acted like a “diva.”

Both were dealt by New York around the deadline as the organization retooled its farm system and punted on the rest of 2023.

During Wednesday’s game, the two aces were each making $677,083, according to The Action Network’s Darren Rovell.

The Mets were on the hook to pay 32 percent of Scherzer’s paycheck and 60 percent of Verlander’s.