Mets’ Max Scherzer is ejected for having foreign substance on glove
The Dodgers-New York Mets game in Chavez Ravine erupted in controversy on Wednesday when Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was ejected by first base umpire Phil Cuzzi for having a foreign substance on his glove and a potential substance on his hand in the middle of the fourth inning.
Scherzer had blanked the Dodgers on one hit through three innings, escaping a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first, but he was forced to change gloves by the umpires before the third inning. As he took the mound for the fourth inning, the standard between-innings sticky stuff check took a lot longer than usual.
Mets manager Buck Showalter came out to the first base line as the discussion between Scherzer and home plate umpire Dan Bellino and Cuzzi grew more animated, with the television broadcast of the game showing Scherzer repeatedly yelling, “It’s rosin!”
Scherzer was automatically ejected from the game and replaced by right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis, who gave up a run in the fourth when Jason Heyward doubled with one out, took third on Miguel Vargas’ single to right and scored on David Peralta’s sacrifice fly for a 1-0 Dodgers lead.
But the Mets countered with two runs off Dodgers right-hander Noah Syndergaard to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth, Francisco Alvarez reaching on an infield single and Brandon Nimmo driving a two-run homer to right field.
According to MLB rules, pitchers are to receive an automatic 10-game suspension if they are caught using illegal foreign substances to doctor baseballs.
Dodgers lose series finale to Mets
David Peralta pulled the Dodgers to within 5-3 with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth.
Mets closer Adam Ottavino got the next three batters, ending the game by striking out James Outman looking.
⚾ Mets 5, Dodgers 3 —FINAL
Dodgers’ bullpen issues continue in ninth inning
Shelby Miller came into the game having not allowed a run this season.
But the right-handed reliever gave up two in the ninth inning, both scoring on a one-out double by Mark Canha.
The trouble began when Miller walked the No. 9 hitter Luis Guillorme. Brandon Nimmo’s fifth hit of the day set up Canha’s double to the gap in left-center.
⚾ Mets 5, Dodgers 2 —Ninth inning
Dodgers draw closer in eighth inning
The Dodgers got within a run in the bottom of the eighth, as J.D. Martinez doubled off David Robertson with one out to score Freddie Freeman.
They had runners at first and second with one out, but Jason Heyward (pop-up to third) and Miguel Vargas (foul out to first) couldn’t bring home the tying run.
⚾ Mets 3, Dodgers 2 —End of the eighth inning
Mets increase lead in eighth inning
Yency Almonte got a big out in the seventh inning, but his appearance in the eighth wasn’t nearly as good.
He gave up a double to Franicsco Lindor and a single to Pete Alonso that moved Lindor to third.
Justin Bruihl replaced Almonte and got Jeff McNeil to pop out in foul territory at third. Tommy Pham’s fly ball to Jason Heyward in right brought home Lindor.
⚾ Mets 3, Dodgers 1 —Eighth inning
Alex Vesia ineffective again, but gets bailed out
Alex Vesia’s rough start to the season continued as the reliever gave up two hits and walk to load the bases in the top of the seventh inning.
Yency Almonte replaced Vesia with two out and got Mark Canha to ground out to third baseman Max Muncy.
⚾ Mets 2, Dodgers 1 —End of the seventh inning
Dodgers struggling at the plate again
Max Muncy walked with one out in the sixth and advanced to second on a groundout by Jason Heyward.
Jeff Brigham replaced Jimmy Yacabonis and got Miguel Vargas to fly out to right.
The Dodgers have three hits through six innings.
⚾ Mets 2, Dodgers 1 — End of the sixth inning
Brandon Nimmo gives Mets the lead in fifth
Brandon Nimmo’s third hit of the game was a two-run home run off Noah Syndergaard in the fifth inning to give the Mets a 2-1 lead.
The home run came with two out. Francisco Alvarez singled on a grounder to deep third with one out .
⚾ Mets 2, Dodgers 1 — End of the fifth inning
Dodgers score after Max Scherzer ejection
Max Scherzer was ejected in the bottom of the fourth and coincidence or not, the Dodgers scored right after that
Jimmy Yacabonis, who replaced Scherzer, gave up a one-out double to Jason Heyward. Miguel Vargas singled to right, moving Heyward to third.
David Peralta’s fly ball to right fielder Starling Marte was deep enough to score Heyward.
⚾ Dodgers 1, Mets 0 — End of the fourth inning
Mets’ Max Scherzer is ejected in fourth inning
Before he pitched in the third inning, Max Scherzer was forced by the umpires to change gloves.
Before he pitched in the fourth, Scherzer was ejected by first base umpire Phil Cuzzi after arguing over the issue of what was on his hands and glove.
Jimmy Yacabonis replaced Scherzer, who gave up no runs and one hit in three innings
⚾ Dodgers 0, Mets 0 — Fourth inning
New glove, same Max Scherzer
The umpires made Max Scherzer change gloves before he pitched in the third inning, but it didn’t seem to affect him as he worked a 1-2-3 inning.
The Mets threatened in the top of the third, putting two runners with one out, but Noah Syndergaard again got Starling Marte to ground into a double play.
⚾ Dodgers 0, Mets 0 — End of the third inning
Nothing going in second inning
Noah Syndergaard got help from first baseman Freddie Freeman, who made a fine running catch in foul ground on a ball hit by Pete Alonso to open the second inning.
Jeff McNeil walked but didn’t get past first as Daniel Vogelbach popped up to third and Brett Baty grounded out to second.
Max Scherzer had a much easier inning than his first one, getting David Peralta on a flyout to center, Luke Wiliams on a pop-up to second and Austin Wynns on a strikeout.
⚾ Dodgers 0, Mets 0 — End of the second inning
Dodgers miss golden chance to score in first
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the first inning against Max Scherzer, but didn’t score.
Scherzer, a former Dodger, gave up a lead-off single to James Outman and one-out walks to J.D. Martinez and Max Muncy. But Jason Heyward struck out and Miguel Vargas grounded to third for a forceout.
Noah Syndergaard began the game by giving up a single to Bradon Nimmo. He then got Starling Marte to ground back to the mound, resulting in a Syndergaard-to-Vargas-to-Freddie Freeman double play. Francisco Lindor then fiied out to center.
⚾ Dodgers 0, Mets 0 — End of the first inning
Shortstop Miguel Rojas placed on injured list; right fielder Mookie Betts misses second straight game
Shortstop Miguel Rojas was placed on the 15-day injured list because of a left hamstring strain on Wednesday and replaced on the roster by utility infielder Yonny Hernandez, who arrived in Dodger Stadium in time for the noon series finale against the New York Mets.
Rojas, who has played well defensively but struggled at the plate, batting .125 (four for 32) with one double, one run and no RBIs in 11 games, aggravated a previous hamstring injury while fielding a hard one-hopper Tuesday night.
Hernandez, who can play three infield positions, was activated off the triple-A injured list last week and played only four games for Oklahoma City. He spent part of the 2021 and 2022 seasons with Arizona and Texas, batting a combined .198 (33 for 167) with five doubles and six RBIs.
Right fielder Mookie Betts missed his second straight game to be with his wife, Brianna, who delivered the couple’s second child this week. Manager Dave Roberts said Betts, who will likely play some shortstop when he returns, might also take Thursday off before joining the team in Chicago on Friday.
Utility man Chris Taylor, who left Monday night’s game in the eighth inning because of a minor left rib-cage injury, has improved, “but not enough to be in there today,” Roberts said. “Hopefully, he’ll be able to play over the weekend.”
Noah Syndergaard, Max Scherzer to square off against former clubs
A pair of veteran pitchers will start against their former teams on Wednesday when Dodgers right-hander Noah Syndergaard squares off against New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer at noon in Chavez Ravine.
Syndergaard spent the first seven years (2015-2021) of his career with the Mets and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021. The Mets extended a qualifying offer after the 2021 season, but Syndergaard rejected it, saying he didn’t want to gamble on the “uncertainty” surrounding a franchise that was being sold at the time.
Syndergaard signed a one-year, $21-million deal with the Angels before 2022 and was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies last summer. He signed a one-year, $13-million deal with the Dodgers this season and will make his first-ever start against the Mets on Wednesday.
Scherzer, 38, was acquired with shortstop Trea Turner at the trade deadline in 2021 and went 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 11 starts. He starred in the Dodgers’ National League division series win over the San Francisco Giants that October but didn’t make his scheduled NL Championship Series start against Atlanta because of arm fatigue. He left the Dodgers the following winter to sign a three-year, $130-million deal with the Mets.
“I think there’s some anticipation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “Max is going to want to throw really well against us here at Dodger Stadium, and I think Naoh, knowing that everyone on the East Coast is gonna be watching this game, and it’s his former team, will want to show well, too.
“I don’t think either player would say that, but there’s a competitor in both of them that you want to show well against your former ballclub. You’re going to see the fire and the compete in both of those guys, and expectation is for our club to follow Noah’s inner fire.”
‘Just Dingers.’ J.D. Martinez gives Dodgers a lift in Tuesday’s win over Mets
J.D. Martinez crushed a 438-foot, two-run home run to center field in the first inning and lined a 378-foot solo shot to right field in the third inning Tuesday night, and you could almost see the thought bubbles filling up above heads in the Dodgers dugout.
It was right here in Chavez Ravine six years ago that Martinez, then with the Arizona Diamondbacks, carved out a piece of baseball history, becoming only the 18th big leaguer to hit four homers in a game, each one against a different Dodgers pitcher.
Only two Dodgers have ever hit four homers in a game, Gil Hodges in 1950 against the Boston Braves and Shawn Green in 2002 against the Milwaukee Brewers. The odds of Martinez becoming the first player to hit four homers in a game twice were astronomical, but he was on a good pace.
For Max Scherzer and the Dodgers, ‘sour taste’ remains from 2021 playoff elimination
He was a fan favorite, until he wasn’t.
One of the best trade-deadline acquisitions ever, until it all ended with a disappointing postseason failure.
A year and a half later, Max Scherzer still carries conflicting emotions about his three-month stint as a Dodger in 2021.
“That team was built to win the World Series,” the three-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher said Monday. “So when you come up short, that leaves a little sour taste in your mouth.”
Clayton Kershaw is superb in joining 200-win club as Dodgers blank Mets
Pitching victories might be a discounted data point in baseball’s modern analytics, written off as an old-school relic too unrepresentative of a singular performance.
To Clayton Kershaw, however, that’s the whole charm of the statistic.
One number that reflects a teamwide effort. An individual accolade that, even in his case as a future Hall of Famer, transcends just his own personal success.
“There’s been a lot of pitchers that have pitched well but maybe don’t have the team behind them,” Kershaw said. “Just reflecting on that, and just thankful for being part of great teams, that’s what wins signify to me.”
Dodgers TV schedule for the 2023 regular season
Here’s a look at the Dodgers TV schedule for the 2023 regular season. All times and broadcast/streaming options are subject to change.
