Max Scherzer scratched from World Series Game 5 start
Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals reacts in the first inning during Game 1 of the 2019 World Series between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - The Nationals' road to a World Series title just suffered a major setback.
Ace pitcher Max Scherzer has been scratched from his scheduled Game 5 start Sunday night at Nationals Park due to a trap/neck injury, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports. Joe Ross will take his place, with Stephen Strasburg scheduled to start Game 6 in Houston.
The Nats planned to use their best pitcher for a pivotal Game 5 in a tied World Series. Fox 5 will break it all down during tonight's pregame starting at 6 p.m.
Scherzer says he can't lift his right arm and needed help from his wife to get dressed because of a muscle spasm and pinched nerve in his neck.
Scherzer says his neck spasms started over the last few days and he got treatment in an effort to be ready to pitch. But he says he woke up Sunday morning and couldn't get out of bed. He had to fall out of bed and push himself up with his left arm.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner had a cortisone shot in hopes of being ready for a possible Game 7.
Scherzer says he texted Ross to let him know he would be starting.
"I'm as disappointed as I possibly can be not to be able to pitch tonight. It's Game 5 of the World Series," Scherzer said. "I've pitched through so much crap in my career that that would be easy to pitch through at this point. This is literally impossible to do anything with."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.