Scherzer doubtful to make next start vs. Braves

Max Scherzer’s status to make his next start Tuesday against the Braves was still up in the air Sunday morning, according to Nationals manager Dave Martinez.

Scherzer was scheduled for a cardio day prior to the Nats’ series finale against the Dodgers, but he still had not picked up a baseball two days after he received a stem cell shot to relieve a mild strain of the rhomboid muscle in his upper back.

Scherzer, who turned 35 Saturday, has been shut down since Friday after he woke up feeling back pain following his return from the injured list the previous day, when he allowed three runs in five innings and struck out eight against the Rockies. Usually, Scherzer likes to throw off a mound three days before his next start, which would have been Saturday to line him up for Tuesday, but did not throw one Saturday or Sunday.

Martinez all but said Scherzer would need to throw a bullpen before the Nationals allowed him to start a game, but he stopped short of ruling Scherzer out.

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“We’re talking about Max,” Martinez said. “So, who knows what he’s thinking or what he’s going to do. If he goes and works out and says ‘I don’t feel a thing’ I don’t want to jump to any conclusions until I talk to Max.”

But Scherzer taking the mound Tuesday night appears increasingly unlikely. Martinez emphasized the importance of moving past this back injury, which first popped up following his start on June 30 against the Tigers. He pitched through it and dominated in his next start on July 6 (striking out 11 in seven shutout innings against the Royals), but it was nearly three weeks until his next one this past Thursday. The back injury has lingered throughout the entire month of July and Martinez wants to make sure it doesn’t continue for the rest of the season.

“I want to make sure that he’s 100 percent,” Martinez said. “We need Max to be 100 percent to get us through the next few months. Regardless of how, he’s got to prove to us that he is that.”

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