Dodgers Way
FanSided

Dodgers: Max Scherzer’s wild behavior during and after NLWC was a delight

ByThomas Carannante|
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Max Scherzer #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is pulled from the game in the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during the National League Wild Card Game at Dodger Stadium on October 06, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Max Scherzer #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is pulled from the game in the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during the National League Wild Card Game at Dodger Stadium on October 06, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Doesn’t Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts know not to talk to (or touch!) Max Scherzer during his starts? What was he thinking?!

On Wednesday night during the NL Wild Card Game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the three-time Cy Young winner had to battle. It wasn’t easy against the red-hot Cards and he was approaching 100 pitches after just 4.1 innings of work. That’s when Roberts took Mad Max out of his zone.

The manager went out to the mound and abruptly removed Scherzer because … what other way can you take the man out of his element? It was swift. Roberts reached in for a handshake and demanded one, and then used his other hand to swipe the ball from the pitcher’s glove. Why have a tough conversation when you can simply kick him off the mound without any other choice?

Scherzer wasn’t happy. You could see it in his face and body language. But you know what? This is the stuff fans love to see. The passion. The dedication. The will to win.

And also … the humor.

Dodgers pitcher Max Scherzer was in rare form during the NL Wild Card Game.

But that wasn’t all from the right-hander. He was going nuts in the dugout every time the Dodgers made a play to keep the game tied. And then he absolutely lost it when Chris Taylor’s two-run homer walked it off.

In fact, he had some buddies sitting behind home plate cheering him and teammate Trea Turner on: Washington Nationals star Juan Soto and hitting coach Kevin Long. Scherzer high-fived them both with force once the Dodgers’ win was in the books.

And then how about a little celebration? Scherzer put back some Budweisers in the clubhouse and then spoke to the media after he perhaps had one too many. The TBS broadcast team was loving it. Did we mention he was shirtless, too?

Good to see he’s still got prime partying chops even after the pandemic. The festivities from 2019 stuck with him.

“You gotta get rid of this eeecho! I can’t talk. I’m drunk. Whatever.”

Here’s to more fiery and tipsy moments from Mad Max for what we hope will be a longer Dodgers run this October.

Home/LA Dodgers News

Schedule