Nationals vs. Astros: Max Scherzer Out for Game 5 of the World Series

Game 5 was supposed to be a rematch of Game 1’s premier pitching matchup: Gerrit Cole of the Astros versus Max Scherzer of the Nationals. In that game, Scherzer and the Nationals prevailed, 5-4, and the Astros lost a game started by Cole for the first time since July 12.

But around 4:30 p.m., Nationals Manager Dave Martinez made a stunning announcement: Scherzer would not start because of spasms in his neck and his upper back, near his throwing arm. Joe Ross, a former starter who pitched mostly out of the bullpen this season, would take the mound instead. Ross threw 19 pitches over two strong innings in Game 3 on Friday.

As a result, the Nationals will have to lean on one of their weaknesses: their bullpen. Scherzer had been receiving treatment but woke up on Sunday “really hurting,” Martinez said. Scherzer is known as one of the most competitive players in baseball — he pitched with a bloody and broken nose earlier this season — so his spasms most likely are very serious to force him out of a World Series game.

Martinez said he hoped Scherzer could come back and pitch in relief in Game 6 on Tuesday if the season was on the line. But if there was a Game 7, Martinez said he would turn to Scherzer. Stephen Strasburg is slated to start Game 6.

“He’s really upset about it,” Martinez said of Scherzer. “I’ve never seen — believe me — I’ve never seen Max this quiet. He’s very quiet.”

Beyond tying the series, the Astros’ win on Saturday night brought another encouraging development for Houston (and a worrying one for the Nationals): the return of Alex Bregman’s bat. Bregman, the star third baseman who had the Astros’ second-highest on-base-plus-slugging percentage (1.015) during the regular season, entered Game 4 batting .208 in the postseason, with just one hit in the first three World Series games.

But he emphatically broke out of his slump on Saturday, going 3 for 5 with five R.B.I. — most of them coming on a grand slam in the seventh inning. As David Waldstein reported today, Bregman chalked up his big game to the extra work he did in the batting cages on Saturday.

“He’s always working on something,” Josh Reddick, the right fielder, said. “I don’t know how he could work any harder. He probably takes a tee and a Wiffle ball into his hotel room for all I know.”