New York Mets' Max Scherzer out 6-8 weeks with oblique strain

New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer has a «moderate to high grade» oblique strain and will miss six to eight weeks, the team announced Thursday.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner left his start on Wednesday night with two outs in the sixth inning and a 1-1 count on Albert Pujols. With two runners on, Scherzer threw a slider in the dirt and immediately signaled to the New York bench that he was done.

Scherzer threw 61 of his 87 pitches for strikes and left with a 6-2 lead against his hometown team. The Mets won the game 11-4 and Scherzer was credited to the win to improve to 5-1 with a 2.54 ERA this season, his first with the Mets after signing a three-year, $130 million contract last offseason.

Scherzer now becomes the third member of the Mets' rotation sidelined. Off to a terrific start this year, the National League East-leading Mets have been without injured ace Jacob deGrom (right scapula stress reaction) all season, and he isn't expected back until at least late June or July. His effective replacement, Tylor Megill, went on the 15-day injured list on Sunday with right bicep inflammation.

David Peterson probably will be called up from Triple-A Syracuse to join a rotation that includes Chris Bassitt (4-2 2.34), Carlos Carrasco (3-1, 3.73) and Taijuan Walker (1-0, 3.52).

Peterson, a 26-year-old left-hander, is 1-0 with 1.89 ERA in three starts and one relief appearance for the Mets this season and 2-1 with a 4.02 ERA in three starts at Triple-A.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.