Back to the Chicago Cubs Newsfeed

Scherzer’s Devastating Slider Diminished as Season Progressed

Related Topics: Max Scherzer, Slider

I’ve been told it’s good to “throw a brick through the window” and grab readers’ attention with a really bold statement right off the bat, so here goes: Max Scherzer is a decent pitcher. Please don’t accuse me of click-bait for saying that, I’m just trying to generate some interest here.

Dude’s possessed of John Lackey’s rabid-bulldog mentality on the mound, but has the mid-90’s heater and devastating slider to go with it. In this latest iteration of his perpetual Cy Young candidacy, it’s that latter offering that has really stood out. Scherzer’s slide-piece graded out as the third-most valuable pitch in baseball, saving 30 runs to finish just behind Corey Kluber’s curveball (37.