Justin Verlander’s ‘diva’ attitude didn’t sit well with Max Scherzer and some Mets

The Mets season that’s devolved right into a catastrophe has loads of blame to go round.

However the $364 million roster had loads of issues within the much-ballyhooed pitching rotation.

And the faces of the Mets’ rotation have been the group’s ostensible co-aces, 40-year-old Justin Verlander (shipped off to the Astros) and the 39-year-old Max Scherzer (traded to the Rangers) struggled at occasions on and off the sector

The 2 seemingly future Corridor of Famers — who appeared to work towards “concord,” a supply instructed The Put up’s Mike Puma, after they didn’t have the perfect relationship after they pitched for the Tigers from 2010-14 — nonetheless had some bumps of their relationship this season.

A Met instructed Puma that Verlander was a “diva” who was indifferent from his Mets teammates and complained about how the group’s analytics division was not on the degree because the one he labored with throughout his first stint with the Astros.

And it was that “diva” angle precipitated Scherzer to grouse some about Verlander.

It was a special vibe then final yr’s rotation had, The Post’s Mike Puma reported, as Scherzer and Chris Bassitt have been free in providing info to the group’s different, youthful pitchers.

Nonetheless, the Mets let Bassitt stroll within the offseason to the Blue Jays because the membership introduced in Verlander, Jose Quintana and Kodai Senga.

Private drama apart, Verlander and Scherzer largely didn’t reside as much as expectations this yr as they every had ups and downs earlier than the Mets shifted to sell-off mode.

The Mets, who have been seventh in all of baseball with a 3.57 group ERA final season, haven’t seen the identical success this yr as they entered Saturday with a 4.38 ERA, nearer to the underside than the highest.

Verlander, the 2022 American League Cy Younger award winner didn’t throw a pitch for the Mets till Might 4 as he suffered a teres main pressure shortly earlier than Opening Day.

And when he did get again on the mound, he didn’t get off to a scorching begin for the Mets, going 2-2 in Might with a 4.80 ERA over 5 begins.

“We sort of obtained off on the flawed foot. Every little thing that would go flawed did early,” Verlander, as a member of the Astros, told reporters at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 3. “Despite the fact that we began taking part in some good baseball at occasions, we by no means actually hit our stride the place we have been sort of banging on all cylinders. I can’t reply precisely why that’s.”

Over his first 30 innings, the right-hander solely whiffed 22 batters, which was in stark distinction to the 9.5 strikeouts per 9 innings he recorded throughout his spectacular 2022 marketing campaign.

By July, he appeared extra like his previous self with a 1.69 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over the month, however by that point, the Mets had scuffled with a 7-19 June and didn’t play effectively sufficient to recuperate in April.

Scherzer, who had a 2.88 ERA in 2022, didn’t have the identical dominance in 2023 and had a 4.01 ERA earlier than he was ultimately shipped to Texas within the deal that landed the Mets Luisangel Acuna.

Earlier this week, Scherzer instructed “Foul Territory” that he didn’t count on to be dealt, however ultimately realized the group was heading in a special route because the profitable by no means got here persistently.

“It grew to become apparent which approach the group was gonna go and the perfect selections for everybody concerned. … You signed up there to win and you actually thought we’d have an opportunity to win there,” Scherzer told the show. Clearly, we didn’t and that’s what stinks.”

And on the Aug. 1 commerce deadline, Verlander was gone too in a commerce to return to his previous group.

“It was simply an unlucky season the place issues didn’t go based on plan,” Verlander mentioned after the commerce. “I’ve nothing however the utmost respect for his or her group and the way they deal with gamers.”

After an abysmal 21-3 loss within the opening sport of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Mets at the moment are 52-64 as they sink nearer to the underside of the Nationwide League East.