The Detroit Tigers have the talent to make some real noise once the playoffs start this weekend despite underachieving for much of the season. Much of that success, however, will hinge on whether or not they get a healthy Max Scherzer for October.
The big right-hander has battled injuries throughout the season, and naturally, he was bitten by the injury bug yet again on Monday night in a pretty weird way.
Scherzer actually injured his ankle in the club's postgame celebration on the field in Kansas City on Monday night after beating the Royals. The injury was substantial enough that Scherzer has been scratched from a scheduled start on Wednesday in the regular season finale.
"This is a slightly twisted ankle," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said, according to USA Today. "It doesn't appear to be serious-serious. But it is obviously serious enough that he won't pitch [Wednesday].
"It was on the field during the celebration when people were jumping on the pile. Somehow somebody stepped on his ankle."
Scherzer was scratched from another start last week in Minnesota after suffering a deltoid strain. That was shortly after returning from issues with shoulder inflammation that saw his velocity drop.
The 28-year-old is 16-7 this season with a 3.82 ERA in 183 2/3 innings. He's also averaging a league-leading 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
