"He’s overrated. He’ll falter in the playoffs" "Judge is his daddy" - New York Yankees fans celebrate Max Scherzer choking in subway series as Judge hits 47th homer of the season

New York Yankees fans expected the worst when they heard Max Scherzer would start the opening game at Yankee Stadium. This New York Mets-Yankees Subway Series was one of the most anticipated in years. Both teams are first-place in their divisions. Both have elite power hitters. The teams' pitching rotations are regarded as two of the best in the majors. The stage was set.

With Max Scherzer facing off against the underperforming Domingo German to start the series, Yankees fans were hoping to avoid an embarrassing evening. Scherzer, the highest paid player in the league, is a three-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time All-Star. The odds heavily favored the Mets, but baseball can be a funny game.

Yankees fans were ecstatic to see a very different Scherzer than what they anticipated. The 47,422 fans in attendance at Yankee Stadium witnessed a real upset on Monday.

To their delight, the Mets' ace had an off night. Yankees fans have always held a psychological edge over the Mets, and last night was no different. After all the hype, Scherzer is now being called overrated.

The night started off poorly for the Mets. With Andrew Benintendi on first, Rizzo hit a looper over the shortstop to put men on first and third. A sacrifice fly from D.J. LeMahieu scored Benintendi, and the Mets were behind.

Scherzer continued to leak runs, giving up a run in each of the third, fifth, and seventh innings. On the night, he gave up four runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings and struck out only three batters.

Undoubtedly the most anticipated matchup of the night was Aaron Judge versus Max Scherzer. After striking out in the first inning, Judge got his revenge in the third. The league-leading home run hitter blasted a shot over the right field fence. It was home run 47 for Judge and kept him on track for Roger Maris' record.

Scherzer has been in fine form since returning from injury on July 5. He entered the game with a 9-2 record and a 2.15 ERA. In his last outing against the Yankees on July 27, he pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out six hitters in a near flawless performance.

Max Scherzer allowed 4 runs and more than 5 hits for the first time this season

Max Scherzer reacts after pitching during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field.

There was one positive for Scherzer last night. The pitcher, who is in his 15th season, surpassed Pedro Martinez for the 13th spot on the all-time strikeout list. Scherzer has amassed 3,157 strikeouts in his 425 career appearances.

The Yankees have been on a horrible run. Last night was an important win for Aaron Boone and the players. Entering the game, the team was 3-7 in the last 10 games and had a 5-13 record since the August 2 trade deadline. The lineup, however, managed to frustrate Scherzer. Five Yankees got hits off the Mets ace.

The Mets, on the other hand, have stumbled of late. Their lead in the National League East has shrunk, and the Atlanta Braves are now only three games behind. The team is 5-5 in their last 10 games.

The Mets have struggled with injuries this season but with a roster like this, they have no excuses. Max Scherzer will need to return to his old self if the Mets hope to maintain the coveted first-place position in the NL East.