Nationals' Max Scherzer Exits vs. Giants After 12 Pitches with Groin Injury

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer was pulled with a groin injury just 12 pitches into his start against the San Francisco Giants on Friday.

Scherzer downplayed the injury after the game and said he'll be day-to-day moving forward: 

The Nats ace was 5-4 with 104 strikeouts and a 2.22 ERA in 77 innings this season coming into the game. He faced just two batters before exiting on Friday.

The three-time Cy Young award winner and seven-time All-Star has been dominant since signing with Washington as a free agent in 2015, going 84-43 with a 2.80 ERA and 1,463 strikeouts. He's led the league in wins twice and strikeouts three times.

Prior to his Nationals tenure, Scherzer played for the Arizona Diamondback and Detroit Tigers. He led the American League in wins in 2013 and 2014 and won the AL Cy Young in 2013.

Scherzer has even hit the 300-strikeout mark, doing so in 2018.

The durable right-hander made 30 or more starts from 2009-18 but suffered injuries that limited him to 27 appearances in 2019. Bursitis and a right rhomboid muscle strain were the culprits.

Still, Scherzer went 11-7 with a 2.92 ERA and 243 strikeouts in 172.1 innings in 2019, registering a career-high 12.7 K/9. He finished the season as a World Series winner when the Nats took down the Houston Astros four game to three in the Fall Classic. He went 3-0 in the playoffs.

The pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign saw Scherzer go 5-4 in 12 starts with a 3.74 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 67.1 innings. The Nats went just 26-34 and finished last in their division.

Losing a pitcher of Scherzer's caliber is a massive blow to any team, made only tougher for the Nats with Stephen Strasburg and Erick Fedde already on the injured list. Patrick Corbin, Jon Lester and Joe Ross fill out the top five when everyone is healthy. 

Washington's offense is also formidable, led by star, power-hitting outfielder Juan Soto and speedy shortstop Trea Turner. However, the team entered Friday sitting at the bottom of the NL East, seven games back of the New York Mets at 25-33.

The Nats can hold down the fort, though they obviously will hope the injury isn't serious and that they'll get their ace back as soon as possible if they want a chance of competing as the season moves toward the halfway point.