Thumb callus makes for an agonizing outing for Max Scherzer: "It’s raw skin, so it’s a lot of pain”

In the less than two months that have comprised left-handed pitcher Max Scherzer's sophomore season on the New York Mets, there has been no shortage of strangeness for the former Cy Young winner.

On April 19, Scherzer was ejected from a game after umpire Phil Cuzzi determined that his hands were the "stickiest he had ever seen." Although Max Scherzer swore that the stickiness was a result of mere "sweat and rosin", the officials suspected a foreign substance. Following the ejection, Scherzer was suspended for 10 games.

On May 21, Scherzer made his third appearance on the bump since returning. He seared through the opposition Cleveland Guardians, striking five, allowing three hits and no runs over six innings. However, fans could see that he was in pain, and many expected bad news following the game.

Thankfully, Max Scherzer revealed following the New York Mets' 5-4 win that his grimmacing was actually the result of a split thumb callus on his left hand. According to Scherzer, he was relying heavily on his curveball, as the grip did not aggravate the callus as much as his four-seamer would have.

Speaking to the New York Post after the game, Max Scherzer said:

“It’s raw skin, so it’s a lot of pain. I’ll be good by next start, but you are going to have one start where it’s miserable.”

Manager Buck Showalter evidently noticed that Scherzer was having a difficult time, and pulled him after 86 pitches. As one of the pitchers in the league best known for his longevity, fans suspected an ailment more serious than the callus.

The bullpen blew the lead, which meant that Scherzer was not credited with the win. However, an eighth inning home run from Starling Marte was enough for the Mets to jump ahead of the Cleveland Guardians, and stay there.

"'You’d rather pitch in pain and win than not pitch at all.' Max Scherzer says he found a way to pitch through a 'miserable' thumb callus in the Mets' win over the Guardians" - SNY

Max Scherzer powering through pain shows how much of a workhorse he is

While the Mets have gone on an impressive 7-3 run over their past 10 games, they still remain five games back of the first-place Atanta Braves in the NL East. With the season heating up and games becoming increasingly more important, every pitch is critical. Scherzer knew his team would need him, and he decided to put them first.