ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 17: Manager Dave Roberts takes Max Scherzer #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers out of the game against the Atlanta Braves in the fifth inning of Game Two of the National League Championship Series at Truist Park on October 17, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Dodgers are in an odd position as they try to figure out if Max Scherzer will be able to pitch in the NLCS.
There’s a chance that the Los Angeles Dodgers will be without one of their best pitchers if they can force a Game 7 against the Atlanta Braves. Max Scherzer has apparently been dealing with an arm that has “been locked up the past couple days,” according to a tweet from the Los Angeles Times’ Bill Shaikin.
That’s far from ideal for the Dodgers.
In an effort to address everything that’s going on with this uncertain and weird situation with Scherzer, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke out.
Dave Roberts said the cost of using Max Scherzer in a relief outing has “exceeded expectations”
When presented the opportunity to discuss what was going on with the talented pitcher, Roberts apparently said the decision was costlier than he could have expected. According to a tweet from the Washington Post’s Chelsea Janes, Roberts said he trusted Scherzer who seemed to think the 13-pitch outing would be fine.
Roberts also added that the decision still had to be made in order for the Dodgers to even get to this point.
There’s still a decent chance that this topic won’t even have any significance after this evening. Los Angeles now needs to go out and win Game 6 against the Braves for any of this discussion to even matter. Atlanta has the opportunity to close this series out and advance on to the World Series if the Braves come out and win Game 6.
But, should the Dodgers find a way to win this evening, Roberts’ choosing to go with Scherzer as a reliever may end up being a pretty big issue.