Nationals ace Max Scherzer was pulled from his final regular-season start Saturday night while tuning up for the playoffs because of a right hamstring cramp.

He left Nationals Park to get a precautionary MRI on the hamstring, according to a team spokesperson.

"We took him out for precaution," Washington manager Dusty Baker said after his team's 4-1 loss to the Pirates. "We gotta make it to the playoffs healthy. So we thought it was better that we make that move, the precautionary move, to get him ready.''