When the Dodgers traded away 23-year-old right-hander Josiah Gray and 23-year-old top catching prospect Keibert Ruiz (along with minor leaguers Gerardo Carrillo and Donovan Casey) to the Washington Nationals in exchange for 37-year-old future Hall of Fame right-hander Max Scherzer and 28-year-old All-Star infielder Trea Turner, there were some who undoubtedly felt that the price was too high to pay, especially because of Scherzer’s age and because of the fact that Gray was already a proven major leaguer and Ruiz one of the highest-ranked prospects in all of baseball.

Then again, there were far more who were ecstatic that Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman rolled the dice on the three-time Cy Young Award winner, eight-time All-Star, along with one of the best middle infielders in the game today. And while the Dodgers are still awaiting Trea Turner’s arrival in Los Angeles due to his positive COVID-19 test, Scherzer made his presence known on Wednesday night in his Dodgers debut against America’s Most Hated – the Houston Astros – in front of a Dodger Stadium crowd of 52,724 – the largest crowd to witness a Major League Baseball game this season.

…and it was exactly as advertised.

Although the hard-throwing 6′-3″/208-pound St. Louis, MO native and first-round draft pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006 out of the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO, allowed two runs on five hits (including a first-inning home run to Astros right fielder Michael Brantley), he walked only one, while striking out 10, including much-hated Astros second baseman Jose Altuve three times, with right-hander Joe Kelly striking him out a fourth in his four at-bats.

“The crowd was definitely into it, and you can feed off that, you definitely get some adrenaline from that,” Scherzer said. “To go out there and pitch well and to have the fans ask for a curtain call for me, I’ve never had that happen, so that’s a cool moment and something I’ll never forget.”

That curtain call came after Scherzer received a huge congratulations from his new manager and teammates while received a standing ovation from the large crowd following his seventh – and final – inning of work, during which Dodgers ace and fellow future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw told him “Hey, give ’em what they want.”

He did, and it was very emotional. It was also very much needed by Dodger fans after Tuesday night’s heartbreaking 3-0 loss to the admitted 2017 World Series cheaters.

“It was awesome. It was fantastic. From the moment I got to the ballpark, you could just see the level of anticipation from the guys,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said postgame. “Just the intensity, it was so much fun. It was really cool to see the crowd just smell it, and want him to finish that seventh inning.”

Thanks for giving us what we wanted, Max.

…and needed.

Play Ball!

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