By Jorge Castillo
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — For two seasons, Max Scherzer has performed as advertised for the Washington Nationals. He’s thrown two no-hitters. He’s struck out 20 batters in one outing. He’s taken the ball every fifth day with a crazed vigor unlike any other pitcher in baseball. He’s been a premier workhorse worthy of the richest contract in franchise history, the best pitcher on one of the sport’s best starting rotations.
But Thursday night’s winner-take-all Game 5 is why the Nationals shocked the industry two winters ago and added Scherzer to their already robust collection of starting pitchers. He is a bulldog. He is big-game dealer. And he will get the ball with the season on the line at Nationals Park against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“This is probably the biggest start of my career,” Scherzer said. “Biggest start of my life.”
It is also perhaps the biggest game in Nationals history. The franchise has played one other high-stakes National League Division Series Game 5 since moving to Washington, against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012. The bullpen collapsed in a 9-7 loss at Nationals Park. It was a gut-wrenching defeat, but it was the Nationals’ first playoff appearance — and a somewhat surprising breakthrough at that.
A steady stream opportunities for deep October runs appeared imminent with the team’s talented core — the delicate handling of Stephen Strasburg was corroboration. Four years later, sustained regular season success has yet to produce a playoff series victory.
Gio Gonzalez started that Game 5 in 2012 because Strasburg had been shut down. He was one of the best pitchers in the National League that season, but he isn’t Scherzer, who led the majors in strikeouts, the National League in innings pitched, and is in contention for his second Cy Young Award.
“You’re never really comfortable until the game is over,” said manager Dusty Baker, who has lost eight straight playoff games with a chance to advance. “But we do have Max.”
Scherzer will not oppose Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw as he did in Game 1 because Kershaw started Game 4 Tuesday. The Dodgers will instead have Game 2 starter Rich Hill on short rest.
“Doesn’t matter. You’re going to get their absolute best,” Scherzer said. “Their best effort from all season. Just like we’re going to give our best effort that we’ve given all season. Man, what can you ask for? This is great.”
Hill, a left-hander, allowed four runs over 4 1/3 innings Sunday, but most of the damage was limited to Jose Lobaton’s three-run home run. The Nationals didn’t manage any other extra-base hits.
Released from the Nationals’ Class AAA affiliate in Syracuse last year, the 36-year-old Hill revitalized his career and emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball this season. But he’s started just one game on three days’ rest in his major-league career: He allowed five runs over three innings for the Baltimore Orioles on July 21, 2009. Further in the Nationals’ favor, a blister plagued Hill over the second half of the regular season and he hasn’t thrown more than 93 pitches in an outing since July 7 when he was a member of the Oakland Athletics. So a deep outing isn’t likely, which would afford Washington another crack at a fatigued Dodgers bullpen.
There was a chance Scherzer could have started Game 4 on short rest for the first time in his major league career. The Nationals didn’t reveal the exact scenario and variables, but it would have included losing Game 3, forcing them to start Joe Ross or Reynaldo Lopez in a must-win game. Winning Game 3 forced the Dodgers to start Kershaw on short rest.
It’s a “great feeling, to have him rested and have him ready to go,” shortstop Danny Espinosa said. “He’s a great pitcher. One of the greatest in baseball. So to have him on our side going out there, I’m very confident behind him.”
Scherzer’s Game 1 outing was the longest among the four pitchers who started NLDS games for Washington. None of the other three — Tanner Roark, Gonzalez and Ross — threw a pitch in the fifth inning. The accumulation of short outings placed a substantial burden on the Nationals’ bullpen, which finally broke and allowed two runs Tuesday. The relief corps, which finished with the second-best ERA in baseball behind the Dodgers’ stable, has allowed two runs in 17 2/3 innings.
Roark, who went up against Hill in Game 2 Sunday, said Tuesday that he didn’t know if he’d be an option out of the bullpen Thursday, but he has significant experience as a reliever and should be available if needed.
The Nationals would rather not need him. No other pitcher in the National League logged more quality starts, and no other pitcher in baseball had more 10-stikeout games. In order to replicate the dominance, he’ll need to avoid costly mistakes like the two he made in Game 1: a fastball out over the plate to Corey Seager and a hanging curveball to Justin Turner. Both pitches were slugged for home runs and helped put the Nationals in a 4-0 hole they couldn’t escape.
“I feel like I made some mistakes, but I’m sure they felt like they missed some pitches,” Scherzer said. “That’s the way it goes. There’s going to be adjustments on both sides of how each team’s going to combat each other.”
The Dodgers aren’t the best matchup for Scherzer. Los Angeles will likely have eight left-handed hitters in the starting lineup and they mashed right-handed pitching all season. But Scherzer isn’t just any right-hander. He was given the richest contract for a right-handed pitcher in history for a reason. He’s the Nationals’ best and has proven it the past two seasons. They will count on him Thursday in their biggest game yet.
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