Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper's choking handshake is nothing new

Caroline Sikes

Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper's choking handshake is nothing new image

Before you go making assumptions about Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer's choking handshake, cool your jets and take a look at the whole picture.

On Thursday, the two Nationals stars raised eyebrows when Scherzer pretended to choke Harper before the game. A weird move regardless, but particularly questionable considering the fact teammate Jonathan Papelbon actually choked Harper just last week in a heated confrontation.

MORE: Proof Jonathan Papelbon is the worst | Papelbon should never pitch for the Nats again

Many people assumed Scherzer was taking a jab at Papelbon by mimicking the altercation. Here's what they were freaking out about.

 

 

What most people failed to understand, is that Scherzer and Harper have been doing this strange routine for weeks. There's this one from early September.

 

 

And another one a few days before.

Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer (Source: AP)

While the two Nationals stars probably should've thought better before pulling out the handshake again, it was clearly not directed at Papelbon. At any rate, Papelbon's dugout confrontation got him suspended for the rest of the season, so he won't be around to take offense anyway.

Source: Washington Post

Caroline Sikes