Max Scherzer diagnosed with an oblique strain

An MRI has revealed a “mild to high-grade” oblique strain for Max Scherzer, according to Anthony DiComo. Scherzer took himself out of his start last night after only 87 pitches, pointing to his left side and exiting the game immediately. The Mets said that the general timeline for the injury is 6-to-8 weeks.

Scherzer thus far has been the team’s best pitcher this season, flashing a 5-1 record with a 2.54 ERA in nearly 50 innings pitched. Scherzer adds himself to a talented list of injured Mets starting pitchers, with Jacob deGrom yet to pitch in a game this season and Tylor Megill currently on the injured list with biceps tendonitis.

The Mets will have to dip into their starting pitching depth to weather the turbulence this injury will likely cause, and with both Trevor Williams and David Peterson showing successful outings so far this season, those two might see successive starts from now through July. The team currently holds a six-game lead in the division, but with a west coast road trip approaching with a gauntlet of opponents, the timing for Scherzer’s injury appears sup-optimal.