Scherzer not keen on openers: Fans 'want to see starting pitchers'

Max Scherzer isn't a fan of bullpen games.

"From a fan's perspective and baseball as a whole," Scherzer said Saturday, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. "If you look at it more from the game outside and say, 'Is this something that ... we want the game to go into? Do we want to see this in the regular season?' My answer is no."

Scherzer's comments come after his Los Angeles Dodgers started reliever Corey Knebel in a Game 1 loss versus the Atlanta Braves to open the NLCS on Saturday.

"You want to see starting pitchers," Scherzer added. "You want to see starting pitchers pitch deep. I think that's best for the fans, best for the players, everybody involved. I think that's how we all envisioned the games."

The three-time Cy Young winner was expected to start the series opener against Braves ace Max Fried, but the Dodgers went with Knebel after Scherzer closed out Game 5 of the NLDS on Thursday. Los Angeles used eight hurlers against Atlanta.

Scherzer will toe the rubber Sunday in Game 2, while right-hander Ian Anderson gets the ball for the Braves.