With a start scheduled for two days after the death of his younger brother, Alex, Max Scherzer had every reason to ask for time off. Instead, he chose to take the mound, and he told the Tigers play-by-play announcer Dan Dickerson why.
"Usually when you get on field, (other thoughts) seem to go away. That didn't happen for me. It was constantly on my mind every pitch," Scherzer told Dickerson. "It was tough, at times, to keep focused.
"But in the back of my mind, I was thinking, 'I love life, I love competing. This is what I do.'"
Scherzer went six innings and gave up three runs in that start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He took the loss but also struck out seven batters.
Alex, 24, was Max Scherzer's only brother. His memorial service is schedule for Sunday in Ballwin, Mo.
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