Scherzer on near-trade to Padres: 'You can't always fall for Twitter'

Max Scherzer wasn't ready to jump to conclusions when a social media storm erupted after it appeared the Washington Nationals were going to send him to the San Diego Padres before last Friday's trade deadline.

"You can't always fall for Twitter," the three-time Cy Young winner said Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times' Bill Shaikin.

Scherzer, who ended up landing with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in a massive blockbuster, admitted he didn't believe the Padres deal was a sure thing because Nats general manager Mike Rizzo didn't contact him.

"Rumors are rumors until you actually get the phone call. So the fact that Twitter was going off, but I hadn't gotten the phone call, I knew somebody else was probably still in the weeds," the eight-time All-Star said, according to the Orange County Register's Bill Plunkett.

Scherzer added the rumblings about wanting to play in warm weather were true.

"I did want to stay in the National League," the right-hander said, according to Shaikin.

The 37-year-old ace will make his first start for the Dodgers on Wednesday against the Houston Astros.