Report: Scherzer treated prospects to $7K dinner, AirPods after his rehab starts

Members of the 2022 Binghamton Rumble Ponies will no doubt tell their grandkids about the time Max Scherzer bought them dinner.

As is customary for big-leaguers passing through town on a rehab stint, Scherzer - who was rehabbing an oblique injury - provided the Double-A Rumble Ponies' postgame spread following Thursday's start against the Hartford Yard Goats. But the New York Mets ace apparently went above and beyond for his temporary teammates, giving them a true taste of major-league luxury.

Scherzer treated the Rumble Ponies to a luxurious clubhouse dinner in Hartford that included bone-in ribeye steak, filet mignon, and lobster, sources told Jake Mintz of Fox Sports. The total cost was said to be upward of $7,000.

"They're eating well tonight," the 37-year-old told reporters Thursday when asked about the meal, per SNY.

But the future Hall of Famer's generosity didn't stop with food. Last week, following his first rehab outing, Rumble Ponies players arrived at the ballpark to find Scherzer had gifted them brand new AirPods.

"We walk in and there's a clubbie just handing out AirPods saying they're from Max," a Rumble Ponies source told Mintz.

Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, is in the first season of a three-year, $130-million contract with the Mets and has already earned more than $140 million over his career, according to Spotrac. On Friday, his former team, the Washington Nationals, sent him the first of seven $15-million payments of deferred money from his previous contract.

On the field, the rehab stint in Binghamton was also a success. The Mets announced Friday that Scherzer will be activated from the injured list in time to start against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.