New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer left his start earlier than expected Saturday against the Washington Nationals, lasting just five innings and 67 pitches due to "fatigue" on his left side, the team said.
The Mets said Scherzer "didn't want to push through it." The score was tied 1-1 when he left the game.
Scherzer retired the side in order in the fifth, getting Ildemaro Vargas to tap the ball back to him for an inning-ending groundout. Upon entering the Mets' dugout, he was seen walking down the tunnel toward the clubhouse with a team trainer following closely behind him.