MLB Radio Host Evan Roberts Calls Max Scherzer & Justin Verlander “mercenary pieces of crap”
The New York Mets have been Major League Baseball’s biggest letdown thus far this season, and the neighborhood media isn’t absolving them. Famous Mets supporter Evan Roberts has worked at WFAN since he started working there as an overnight host in 2004. He is a devoted Mets fan, like many others in the Tri-State region. And is probably angry at the team’s inadequacies.
The Mets were swept by the Atlanta Braves last week, and their most costly aces were on the mound for the last two defeats. In just 8.2 innings, Scherzer and Verlander combined to give up 10 runs, nine of them earned. Both of them were saved by New York’s offense, which scored runs, but the squad still dropped the game.
MLB Radio Host Evan Roberts Calls Max Scherzer & Justin Verlander “mercenary pieces of crap”
The New York Mets have baseball’s largest payroll, estimated at $359 million. Two pitchers in particular, both with impressive credentials, have been the Mets’ high-priced players.
"The Mets spend $90 million on these two mercenary pieces of crap who’ve done nothing"
Evan went off on Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer 😳 https://t.co/QQnGMPQwgX
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) June 9, 2023
Following Verlander’s most recent subpar performance against the Braves, Roberts voiced his opinion on his “Rico Brogna” Audacy podcast last week.
“I’d say it’s unbelievable but it’s not unbelievable! They find new ways to lose,” Roberts said. “Now the offense wakes up, Justin Verlander takes a giant t turd all over the Mets’ chances.”
Max Scherzer strikes out 3 in the first inning pic.twitter.com/AdcNK7Farb
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 7, 2023
“It was a collective fail by the bullpen and Justin Verlander. The Mets spend $90 million on these two mercenary pieces of crap who’ve done nothing,” Roberts continued.
"It's so easy when you give up 5 runs, you want to beat yourself up. It's harder to sit there and say you did something right because you want to critique yourself. I will, but there's a lot of things I felt I did right tonight too"
– Max Scherzer pic.twitter.com/Spys1KOJU8
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2023
“Max Scherzer’s pretended to do something because his overall numbers are good and he’s had some really good starts. But think about what he did last year … Max Scherzer pitched well, missed a big chunk of time, and then when they needed him the most against the Atlanta Braves and then in the playoffs against the Padres, he wasn’t bad, he was awful.”
Max Scherzer's last three starts against the Braves:
17.2 IP, 23 H, 22 K, 6.62 ERA, 1-2 pic.twitter.com/7St0bhUR70
— Colin Hubbard (@ColinHubbard22) June 8, 2023
Max Scherzer, a former three-time Cy Young Award winner, signed a three-year, $129 million contract with the Mets in late 2021. The deal stipulated that Scherzer would earn $43 million each season, making it the most expensive signing in MLB history.
A little over a year later, the organization signed 39-year-old Justin Verlander to a $86 million, two-year contract, tying the previous record held by Max Scherzer from a few years prior.
Justin Verlander on the inconsistencies of his starts:
"Feast or famine it seems. It is [a concern]. I've been working my ass off trying to make it click. Every time I think I've found it, it goes another direction. It's definitely frustrating for me and everybody" pic.twitter.com/WESwBnBGut
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 9, 2023
None of them have performed to his expectations.
In 53.1 innings pitched, Scherzer has a 5-2 record, a 3.71 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, 58 strikeouts, and 14 walks. He had an 11-5 record, a 2.29 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, 173 strikeouts, and 24 walks over 145.1 innings in 2022. He has greatly regressed.
The final line tonight for Justin Verlander. pic.twitter.com/JsB3Yu3lY6
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 9, 2023
Verlander, who won the Cy Young Award with the Houston Astros last year, has only played at a league-average level thus far in 2023. He has a record of 2-3, a 4.85 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and 39.0 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts and 13 walks. He pitched 175 innings and had a record of 18-4, 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 185 strikeouts, and 29 walks. He’s simply a different person.
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