Scherzer prepared to start Sunday if Rockies need to win

DENVER - Max Scherzer doesn't really have any reason to pitch Sunday - "I've made 33 starts, thrown 220 innings," he said today. "So that's a full workload." - but Game 162 could mean everything for the Rockies, who enter the weekend trying to win either their first division title or fourth wild card berth.

So Scherzer and the Nationals have made a decision how to proceed. If Sunday's game matters for Colorado's postseason chances, Scherzer will start. If it doesn't, he'll sit.

"The way I look at it is: Hey, if there's a playoff atmosphere on the line here, where somebody could get knocked out, that's a heck of an environment to pitch in," the right-hander said. "Even though we're playing for nothing, at least I'd be able to toe the rubber knowing that the atmosphere with the crowd and the other team we'd be playing would probably be at the highest level of any opponent I faced this year. Why wouldn't I want to compete in that?"

Since pitching Tuesday night against the Marlins, a game in which he reached the 300-strikeout plateau for the first time in his career, Scherzer has been preparing as though he'll make this final start. He reported to Nationals Park ahead of his teammates Thursday to throw a bullpen session before their charter flight to Denver.

Physically, Scherzer said he's good to go. He always has the mindset that he's going to be pitching deep into October, and his conditions himself with that possibility in mind. Mentally, he admits this might be a bit tricky, especially on the heels of an emotionally satisfying start at home that would have served as a nice 2018 finale for him.

"It's been a little bit of a challenge, because I kind of thought that decision was going to be over after that start," he said. "I didn't think I was going to pitch. And then once I realized how tight the races were ... frankly, I thought they'd want to shut me down regardless of the situation. I was anticipating that response from them. But actually it was the opposite. They wanted me to pitch. So, sure. Let's go."

A dominant performance Sunday could theoretically boost Scherzer's dwindling Cy Young Award candidacy, though he can't do anything about Jacob deGrom's season-ending 1.70 ERA and 23 consecutive quality starts. Scherzer is 18-7 with a 2.53 ERA, 300 strikeouts and 0.911 WHIP, but he would be risking something pitching at Coors Field, where he is 0-3 with a 5.88 ERA in five career starts.