Tensions are rising for the New York Mets after their superstar pitcher Max Scherzer pulled himself from the game after what looked like a routine pitch. These injuries that look harmless at first glance can also be the most troubling and are exactly what the team needed to avoid.
After losing what should have been the best pitcher duo in the MLB after the preseason injury to Jacob deGrom, now Max Scherzer is facing a lengthy time away from the team with an oblique injury.
Here's a video of the play that resulted in the injury, posted to Twitter by Fox Sports.
"Max Scherzer tells the Mets dugout 'I'm done.' & comes out of the game in the 6th" - @ FOX Sports: MLB
The update of the type of injury and its potential timetable came courtesy of a tweet from MLB insider Jon Heyman.
"Max Scherzer does indeed have an oblique injury. That injury can have a wide variance for time missed. No official word yet but it can take a month, or more, in many cases" - @ Jon Heyman
The New York Mets have managed to take first place in the National League East without Jacob deGrom, but holding it without Max Scherzer will be very difficult.
New York Mets will need to focus during the absence of Max Scherzer
Losing a star player for a potentially significant amount of time is a difficult obstacle to overcome at this point in the season. Thankfully, the New York Mets have proven that they are one of the top teams in the MLB, tied for the most wins in the National league with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While we don't know the exact timeline for the return of Max Scherzer, it is likely to be a long-term issue, so fans are looking for the next player to step up in big way.
For many New York Mets fans, the pitcher they are looking to in this tough time is Chris Bassitt, as posted by the We Gotta Believe podcast on Twitter.
"Chris Bassitt: Next man up" - @ We Gotta Believe
The only silver lining here is that since we are only in May, there is plenty of time left in the season to get healthy and make a World Series run with a full roster.
Max Scherzer himself spoke on the injury immediately after it happened and didn't feel it was too bad, which is a great sign, as posted by SNY on YouTube.
The New York Mets will have to show their grit and determination as they deal with the injury bug going through the pitching rotation. Their offense, that has been spectacular all season, may have to step up even further.