PHILADELPHIA — Max Scherzer’s unbeaten streak has been broken.
Scherzer allowed three runs on 10 hits, striking out seven, across six innings in the Mets’ 3-2 loss to the Phillies in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. The right-hander took his first loss since May 30, 2021, snapping his streak of 24 consecutive unbeaten starts.
The three-time Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer, obsessed with winning, saw the Mets lose Sunday on his start-day for the first time since he joined his new organization.
“Heck of a run,” Scherzer said of his streak. “Obviously it takes your teammates to be able to do that, but it’s also kind of cool to be a part of it. You gotta go out there and give your team a chance to win. That’s your job as a starting pitcher. I feel like, over the past handful of starts here, I’ve been doing that.”
Manager Buck Showalter said Scherzer is setting the tone for the rest of his Mets teammates and coaches when he refuses to make any excuses regardless of tough situations.
Scherzer’s uniform whipped in the wind on an especially frigid day in Philly. The wind was blowing in from right field as Mets position players zig-zagged through the dirt and grass to attempt, unsettlingly, to catch pop flys. Despite the brisk conditions, Scherzer removed his sleeves after the fourth inning, though he said it had nothing to do with trying to create better luck in his untidy 101-pitch outing.
“It wasn’t as windy and I felt like I could take the sleeves off and go back to short sleeves,” Scherzer said. “I was at least warm enough to do it.”
Sunday was only the third time in the past five seasons that Scherzer allowed double-digit hits. He gave up nine or more hits just once last year, in a Sept. 29 start as a Dodger against the Padres. With the exception of Bryce Harper’s home run in the first inning, the remainder of hits coughed up by Scherzer against the Phillies on Sunday were all singles. Of his 10 hits allowed, five of them were hit with an exit velocity of 77 mph or lower.
Due to the back-to-back rainouts on Friday and Saturday, the Mets ace was pitching seven days after his most recent start — also against the Phillies at Citi Field last Sunday. Given all those elements, Showalter was impressed that Scherzer still managed to record a quality start for the Mets. It was just unfortunate, the skipper said, that the offense didn’t score more than two runs. Scherzer’s takeaway was that he avoided a big inning after the Phillies sprayed hits around the field against him.
“You gotta be able to adapt to anything,” Scherzer said. “This is baseball. Here we go, boom. Two rainouts and you gotta be able to adapt to it and go out there and win. … I will not make an excuse for anything. My job is to go out there and compete and win under any circumstances, under any conditions.”
Starling Marte, gripping a pink bat in honor of Mother’s Day that will be auctioned off to benefit multiple organizations toward the fight against breast cancer, helped put the Mets on the board in the sixth inning of Game 1. His double to left field in that frame was his fifth consecutive hit, dating back to Thursday. Marte has certainly been a productive base runner for the Mets, but he’s still itching to get hot at the plate. The outfielder entered the day batting .262 with a .692 OPS.
Phillies right-hander Kyle Gibson kept the Mets mostly in check through six innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits across 72 pitches in Game 1. Closer Corey Knebel, whom the Mets pummeled for three runs on four hits during Thursday night’s thrilling ninth-inning comeback, was able to retire the side on Sunday and shut the door on the Amazin’s.
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