Max Scherzer's winning pre-game ritual includes savory roast beef and Swiss cheese sandwich

Max Scherzer, a name synonymous with dominance on the pitching mound, isn’t only about strikeouts and Cy Young Awards.

In a revealing interview with Sports Illustrated back in 2015, the then-Washington Nationals ace talked about a peculiar but crucial aspect of his pre-game routine: a hearty roast beef and Swiss cheese sandwich.

“Big roast beef and Swiss cheese sandwich. I have it every time before a start,” Scherzer told Sports Illustrated.

In the same interview, Scherzer revealed that although he doesn’t consider himself to be the healthiest of the lot, he tries his best to avoid any kind of fast food and sodas. It turns out that Chipotle is his go-to place when craving a healthy meal.

“I wouldn't call myself the healthiest person when I eat but I really try hard not to eat badly—avoid fast food, soda, desserts, etc. And when I try and eat healthy, I go to Chipotle.”

However, it’s not Scherzer’s dietary habits alone that have helped him become one of the best flamethrowers of the modern era. His unwavering dedication to a rigorous fitness routine has been just as crucial to his consistency.

Max Scherzer’s excellence is down to a proper diet and a well-thought-out training regime

Max Scherzer's training regimen is a well-thought-out combination of intense weightlifting sessions and meticulous attention to different muscle groups. His favorite exercise? Squats.

“Squats… They’re tough, but they’re so worth it. If I can squat heavy and not get sore the next day, I know my legs are strong.”

From heavy lower body workouts to comprehensive upper body training, Schezer’s workout routines, coupled with his dietary habits, are just as strategic as his pitching strategy on the mound.

His exceptional career since this interview has yielded a World Series ring with the Nats, coupled with two more Cy Youngs - raising his career tally to three. He has gone on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, and at the moment, an incredible adventure in the wild west with the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers ace is set to start Game 3 against the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight, with the World Series now split 1-1. When the lights shine the brightest, Max Scherzer excels.

He is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three World Series starts. He got a no-decision for the Detroit Tigers against San Francisco Giants in 2012's Game 4. He won the 2019 opener for the Nats at Minute Maid Park and got a no-decision in Game 7.

As the Rangers try to bounce back after a 9-1 drubbing in Game 2, all eyes will be on Max Scherzer once again. It's going to be a full-circle moment for Scherzer, who was drafted by the D-Backs in the first round of the 2006 MLB Draft.