Scherzer won't pitch in All-Star Game

Turns out the Nationals won't have anyone appearing in this year's All-Star Game.

One night after Anthony Rendon was replaced on the National League's roster, Max Scherzer has been replaced. Major League Baseball announced late tonight that Reds right-hander Sonny Gray is replacing Scherzer on the NL roster.

Scherzer, who pitched seven scoreless innings in today's 6-0 win over the Royals, won't be appearing in Tuesday's Midsummer Classic, but he is still expected to travel to Cleveland and participate in All-Star festivities.

MLB often replaces pitchers who start during the final weekend before the All-Star break, though current rules don't prohibit them from appearing in the game. According to a recent All-Star roster primer on MLB.com, clubs and players are allowed to make requests for usage accommodation if there are factors that would affect the pitcher's availability. If an accommodation is granted, the parties agree upon the pitcher's status and workload availability.

In this case, it appears either Scherzer or the Nationals preferred he not pitch in Tuesday's game and were willing to give up his slot to another NL pitcher. Gray is 5-5 with a 3.59 ERA in 17 starts for the Reds. The Nationals' Stephen Strasburg (10-4, 3.64 ERA in 18 starts) seemingly would have been an appealing replacement for his rotation mate, but the right-hander wasn't the eventual choice.

This is Scherzer's seventh consecutive All-Star selection. He has started the game three times and appeared in all but one of the previous games (2015).

Rendon was a first-time All-Star selection, but the third baseman announced Friday evening he will skip the festivities altogether and stay in Washington to get treatment on a left hamstring and quadriceps injury that has bothered him since early June.