New York Mets place P Max Scherzer on 15-day IL, reinstate OF Starling Marte from the bereavement...

DENVER -- The New York Mets on Saturday placed pitcher Max Scherzer on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain.

The move is retroactive to Thursday.

Scherzer left his start on Wednesday night after experiencing tightness in his side. An MRI performed Thursday revealed a moderate to high-grade internal oblique strain, according to the Mets. Scherzer is expected to be out six to eight weeks.

It is another blow to New York's rotation. Ace Jacob deGrom has not pitched yet due to a stress reaction in his right scapula, and Tylor Megill is on the IL with right biceps tendinitis.

In other moves Saturday, the Mets reinstated outfielder Starling Marte from the bereavement list, recalled right-handed pitcher Jake Reed and added right-handed pitcher Adonis Medina as the 27th man for a doubleheader at Colorado.

Marte was away from the team following the death of his grandmother. His first swing of the day in the first game of a doubleheader against the Rockies went deep into the left field bleachers to give the Mets a 2-0 lead two batters into the game. The Mets went on to win 5-1.

"We all just kind of looked at each other and went, 'Really?' You can't make that stuff up,'' Mets manager Buck Showalter said. "It was emotional. I'm glad I had glasses on.''

When he crossed home plate, looked up and pointed to the sky.

"It's a hard situation because it's one of those things that's going to be in my mind for a very long time,'' Marte said of his grandmother's death before the game. "Being around the team is a distraction, but...you have to go through it.''

The Mets also optioned second baseman Gosuke Katoh to Triple-A.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.