Dodgers columnist taking savage shot at Max Scherzer over 2021 pays off in Game 3

Max Scherzer probably tries not to think too much about 2021, but the same can’t be said about Los Angeles Dodgers fans. As Scherzer was ready to take the mound for the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the World Series against the Dodgers, fans all over LA will be salivating at the chance to avenge Scherzer’s 2021 postseason in a Dodgers uniform, in which the future Hall of Famer sidelined himself due to dead arm and left LA in a bad position. While many reasonable people wouldn’t have a problem with a pitcher saying he’s physically unfit to perform, Dodgers fans have never viewed Scherzer and 2021 that way.

With many Dodgers die-hards viewing Scherzer as a villain — both for his self-imposed exit from the NLCS and for his dissonant exit from the Dodgers’ franchise that offseason — an LA win over Scherzer would be especially satisfying.

The anti-Scherzer sentiment in Los Angeles apparently extends to the media, too, as The Los Angeles Times’ Bill Shaikin displayed ahead of Game 3 with his article, " No more dead-arm nightmares for Dodgers and their uncomplicated pitching strategy".

Dodgers writer doesn’t shy away from reminding the world about Max Scherzer’s failed tenure in LA

It’s funny how sports narratives can be transformed 180 degrees in a single moment, after weeks or even months of polar-opposite storylines brewing. After joining the Dodgers at the 2021 trade deadline, Scherzer excelled during the regular season and won the hearts of fans. He finished third in Cy Young voting that season and looked like exactly the ace-for-rent that LA sought heading into October.

However, Scherzer’s reputation among Dodgers fans went from hero to zero weeks later when he removed himself from availability before his scheduled NLCS start, replete with comments indicating that he was prioritizing his arm health over the team.

"My arm's been locked up the past couple of days," Scherzer said, per Shaikin.

"Guys, when they lie, they go out there and they take on too much, then they blow out,. That's the ultimate risk here."

Again, Scherzer’s self-preservation shouldn’t be overly criticized, but what was disappointing was that he didn’t come out and publicly defend a Dodgers clubhouse or coaching staff that came under fire in the weeks to come over having allegedly misused and mismanaged the team’s pitchers. Rather, Scherzer’s final action as a Dodger, as well as his words in the days that followed (or lack of words), only contributed to the narrative that LA had indeed completely messed up their staff, not taken care of pitchers, and blown the chance to advance once again to the World Series.

And while Shaikin made sure to re-live — through journalism — every aspect of Scherzer’s failure in a Dodgers jersey ahead of Game 3, Scherzer stayed looking in the opposite direction.

"I wouldn't be looking backwards at all for any motivation,'' Scherzer said over the weekend, per Shaikin. "I have plenty of motivation. I'm here to win and I've got a clubhouse full of guys who want to win too. So we're a great team and that's the only thing I need to think about."

Despite Scherzer’s mentality, the 41-year-old couldn't handle the Dodgers lineup in Game 3. He allowed three runs on five hits (two home runs) and a walk in just 4 1/3 innings. The Jays used eight other pitches in the 18-inning marathon, which ended up being a 6-5 loss, with LA now leading 2-1 in the series.

Scherzer found himself emptying the tank in his age-40 season for a team that didn't expect to make the World Series — something he had it all right in front of him with the Dodgers when he was a 36-year-old back in 2021. Instead, he wanted to chase the money and save his arm for Steve Cohen and the Mets, who ended up trading him after 42 starts. If the Dodgers win this Fall Classic, it'll be a nice full circle moment for LA fans, who still feel like they were hung out to dry by Scherzer in that disappointing NLCS against the Braves.