Max Scherzer Willing to Assist New York Mets' Bullpen in Postseason

Max Scherzer is willing to serve as both a starter and reliever in the 2022 postseason for the Mets.

Talk about a team-first player. 

While the plan is for ace pitcher Max Scherzer to team up atop the rotation with Jacob deGrom once the Mets reach postseason, Mad Max is open to the idea of helping out the bullpen as well.  

"I love that. That’s fun. It really makes you feel like a little kid again," Scherzer told Tim Britton of The Athletic about pitching as a reliever in the playoffs. "It feels like Little League baseball again. You’re only playing to win. I love those moments. It’s fun to be able to do whatever it takes to help the team win."

This is something Scherzer did with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS last year and the Washington Nationals back in 2019, in which the club won a World Series title. 

Of course, Scherzer will be relied on to be the Mets' No. 2 starter in the playoffs. But if the opportunity arises, where he can serve as a high leverage relief arm, the future Hall of Famer is willing to do so. 

Scherzer would only be available out of the bullpen in between starts on his throw days and possibly in elimination games. 

Last October, as a member of the Dodgers, Scherzer was unable to start Game 6 of the NLCS due to a dead arm. According to the three-time Cy Young Award winner, this occurred as a result of receiving too much rest down the stretch of the regular season. 

"My arm wasn’t ready to handle that workload and cut my rest when I’d been getting extra rest," Scherzer told The Athletic. "So coming into this year, I’ve just been way more attentive to how my arm feels on the five-day (routine), how it feels on the six-day. It’s something I normally did, but I’m just more hyper-sensitive to it this year and knowing that to get ready for a playoff run."

Read More:

- Mets ace Jacob deGrom to Make Next Start Thursday

- Where Francisco Alvarez, Mark Vientos Stand in Their Development

- Why Record-Setting Payroll Makes Sense for Mets Next Season

Follow Pat Ragazzo on Twitter (@ragazzoreport), be sure to bookmark Inside The Mets and check back daily for news, analysis and more.