To say that New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer has dominated the San Diego Padres all through his 16 seasons within the majors could be an understatement

In 18 profession begins towards the Padres, Scherzer is 7-3 with a 2.76 ERA, a 0.910 WHIP and a .185 opponents’ batting common whereas averaging greater than 12 strikeouts per 9 innings. The outcomes have been even higher in San Diego, the place he’s 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA throughout seven begins

That dominance shall be examined Sunday, when Scherzer and the Mets return to Petco Park to face right-hander Joe Musgrove and the Padres within the rubber match of a three-game set on the ultimate day earlier than the All-Star break

Amid Scherzer’s command energy over the Padres, he additionally had a Petco begin that he would in all probability prefer to neglect. Whereas pitching for the Washington Nationals on July 8, 2021, the three-time Cy Younger Award winner took an 8-0 lead into the underside of the fourth earlier than catastrophe struck

What adopted could not occur immediately. Padres aid pitcher Daniel Camarena hit a grand slam off Scherzer in what become a seven-run inning, and San Diego went on to finish the comeback to win 9-8

Really, that makes Scherzer’s numbers towards the Padres much more spectacular. Take the two-thirds of an inning during which Scherzer allowed the seven runs away and his profession ERA towards the Padres could be 2.22, whereas his ERA in San Diego could be a measly 1.11

However the numbers that imply essentially the most to each Scherzer and Musgrove going into Sunday’s assembly are this 12 months’s.

Over his first 5 begins this season, Scherzer had a 5.56 ERA, though he did shut out the Padres on one hit and three walks with six strikeouts over 5 innings to earn the win in New York on April 10

In his previous 10 begins, nevertheless, Scherzer is 6-0 with a 3.45 ERA, though he gave up 4 runs on 5 hits in six innings on Tuesday towards the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.

“He competes,” Mets supervisor Buck Showalter stated lately of Scherzer. “The aura and feeling of the sport when he’s on the market, individuals feed off that. He is sensible, however he is aggressive. He does not let his feelings get in the best way of giving us an opportunity to win. He is pitching nicely. He is run off some good ones. There’s an ebb-and-flow to each season with pitching

“I feel him getting on a standard rotation each fifth day has made him extra assured.”

Musgrove is aware of the sensation of starting the season slowly. He was 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his first 5 begins. Over his final eight begins, nevertheless, Musgrove is 6-0 with a 2.01 ERA.

There was a query of whether or not or not Musgrove would make Sunday’s begin on regular relaxation after going seven innings for simply the second time this season on Tuesday.

“He feels nice. Each time the final three or 4 occasions out, he is felt higher and higher,” Padres supervisor Bob Melvin stated. “Seven innings the final outing, nonetheless solely 100 pitches. And he was motivated to take Sunday’s begin on a daily flip, but it surely’s not one thing he hasn’t executed earlier than.

Musgrove is 1-5 with a 5.83 ERA in six profession appearances (5 begins) towards the Mets

–Subject Degree Media