Scherzer-deGrom, formidable duo in Mets

JUPITER, Fla. — It was the start of a dream combination for the Mets and their fans, Max Scherzer pitching one game and Jacob deGrom the next in Spring Training. It started in Jupiter, Florida on Monday afternoon. The stadium was packed with Queens fans to watch Scherzer against the Marlins, the cheers getting louder and the excitement building every time Scherzer came out of the dugout to pitch another inning going five innings in his first career start. his first preseason with New York.

“I had a lot of fun watching him pitch for us,” outfielder Dominic Smith told manager Buck Showalter after the game ended.

“How do you think I felt?” Showalter replied.

In mid-March, Scherzer pitched like it was a midseason game against a division rival. Scherzer pretty much did what he does, putting on quite a show, ready to throw another pitch almost immediately after receiving the ball from his catcher, Tomas Nido. Almost angry that Jazz Chisholm Jr. bunt the ball perfectly to start the closing of the first chapter. Even more furious when Jacob Stallings walked out of the batter’s box and called time when Scherzer was ready.

Max Scherzer — pitching five innings at once, a day before deGrom made a much-anticipated debut at Mets Stadium — didn’t show off his full stuff against the Fishes because he didn’t have to. But his arsenal was still impressive, attacking the strike zone, striking out five, giving up just two hits after Chisholm’s bunt, walking no walks on 72 pitches, 55 of which were strikes.

It was clear that Scherzer, a member of the Players Association executive subcommittee, was ready for the lockout and all negotiations to end after 99 days. The right-hander, who is a future Hall of Famer and now a member of the Mets, is 37 years old, but he didn’t show it on Monday. He came across as more of a guy looking to earn a spot on Showalter’s roster.

Asked after his performance if he enjoyed it, Scherzer had this to say: “My God. I think you already know the answer.”

Then Tuesday in Port St. Lucie, deGrom took the mound for the first time since July of last year. He didn’t pitch five innings against the Astros. It was a two-inning outing, as planned. But he struck out five batters and gave up just one hit — and his fastball reached 99 mph in the process. The Mets triumphed on Tuesday, after falling on Monday. But that was not so important. You couldn’t have seen two better games than New York had from its two aces to start the week. Scherzer was Scherzer and deGrom looked like himself, and Mets fans see a season — and possibly an October — full of possibilities.

“We were laughing,” deGrom said Tuesday, recalling a chat with Scherzer. “He challenged me to throw a curveball on the first pitch. That ‘s what I did; I looked at him and we laughed. It was fun. I have enjoyed the moment we have shared and I am already learning from him, asking him for advice. He has been in the game for a long time and will be in the Hall of Fame. Because of that, it’s wonderful whenever you can be around guys like that.”

Scherzer has won three Cy Young Awards. deGrom, coming off an injury-shortened 2021 season, bagged two of those accolades. If both are blessed with good health in 2022, there couldn’t be a better 1-2 in all of baseball. At one point, the Mets’ rotation was led by Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman. But they never had two No. 1s like Max and Jake at the same time.

Nick Hintz, a young fan from Long Island, New York, visiting with his father, was on hand for Scherzer’s opening on Monday. They always travel to Florida to see Mets games every year, and they had bought tickets before the lockout delayed everything. They finally saw the new version of the Grapefruit League schedule. They bought tickets again. And by chance they got Scherzer’s first appearance with the Mets in Jupiter against the Marlins.

They were three rows behind the Mets’ dugout and stood up every time Scherzer started another inning and every time it ended until he finished his outing in the bottom of the fifth inning, before being congratulated by Showalter.

“We were praying that things would work out for us,” said Nick Mintz, who turns 28 next week. “But I never would have dreamed that we would get to see Max’s first start.”

By the way, Nick had a t-shirt with a presidential campaign-style design that said:

Seven innings between them to start the preseason, 10 strikeouts, a deserved run. Scherzer already has his new contract. deGrom looks for his. Clearly they already root for each other like Buck Showalter’s top rotation guys, both dominating that way. Two high caliber pitchers on the New York Mets.