CLEVELAND – In the 87 days between his first and second starts for the Toronto Blue Jays, Max Scherzer received two cortisone shots into different right thumb joints; shut down and restarted in between; meticulously rebuilt through sides, live batting practices, a simulated game and two rehab outings; and faced countless questions about his uncertain future.
Along the way, “he’s obviously been very frustrated with how the season’s gone for him,” said teammate and close friend Chris Bassitt, “but the fire is still there to play and compete and try to be the best he possibly can, which has helped him. It’s just part of being 40 and trying to still pitch in the big leagues.”
The soon-to-be 41-year-old – his birthday is July 27 – looked more than capable as he went from trying to actually pitching in the majors Wednesday night, allowing three runs over five innings with four strikeouts during a 5-4 loss in 10 innings to the Cleveland Guardians.
The Blue Jays erased a 3-1 deficit in the sixth on a two-run single by George Springer and went ahead on an Ernie Clement sacrifice fly later in the inning, but Lane Thomas tied the game in the bottom half with a solo shot off Nick Sandlin.
After squandering a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity in the eighth, the Blue Jays fell in the 10th when Steven Kwan was walked intentionally, David Fry’s bunt went for a single to load the bases and Jose Ramirez ripped a walk-off single off Mason Fluharty.
Having made it through only three innings during a March 29 start against Baltimore before lat soreness related to his irksome thumb forced him out, Scherzer crossed through several thresholds in this long-awaited outing.
He threw 83 pitches – his most since 85 in a start with Texas last July 25 – while sitting 93.2 m.p.h. with a fastball that topped out at 95.2 and reached 94.7 to his final batter, Carlos Santana, who struck out on a curveball. He settled in after a 25-pitch first, which began with a nine-pitch walk to Steven Kwan, to get through five frames, his longest start since throwing six against the White Sox last July 25.
And given how little he’s pitched since helping the Texas Rangers win the 2023 World Series, it’s reasonable to think Scherzer will get sharper as he pitches more, giving the Blue Jays not only the stability they desperately need in the rotation, but also some upside, too.
As always, caution is necessary, as time and again, Scherzer has pointed out that the day after is more telling than the day of when it comes to his thumb. The irksome digit requires ongoing management as the issues with it won’t simply disappear. His status likely won’t ever get to rest-easy-on-the-pillow-at-night.
Still, with Eric Lauer throwing 5.1 innings of one-run ball Tuesday, followed by Scherzer’s five frames Wednesday, the Blue Jays are suddenly on track to get the type of stability they’ve been seeking from those two rotation slots all season.
How well both hold will certainly impact the Blue Jays’ thinking as they head into the trade deadline, although their focus is likely to be on adding a starting pitcher, while seeking opportunities to upgrade the bullpen and their bench.
The determination to augment their pitching depth was demonstrated by Wednesday’s acquisition of right-hander Robinson Pina, a right-handed bulk arm with an intriguing splitter who was optioned to triple-A Buffalo, from the Marlins for A-ball righty Colby Martin.
Pina’s addition came ahead of the Blue Jays’ decision to designate Spencer Turnbull for assignment, clearing the deck for Scherzer’s activation from the injured list. The club’s intention had been for Turnbull to jump into the rotation, but his velocity never got there.
“Just looking at where his stuff was and kind of the runway we were able to give at this point, it kind of just didn’t align with what we had hoped for, really, is the best way to put it,” said manager John Schneider.
The solidification of Braydon Fisher and Paxton Schultz in the bullpen also factored into the decision, as did the looming return of Yimi Garcia, who could be a week or 10 days from activation.
Scherzer’s ability to go on a run, however, remains the key to it all, and while he may not be the dominant three-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time all-star he once was, Bassitt still sees one of the best pitchers in baseball.
“He’s a lot smarter than when he was young,” said Bassitt. “Now he knows the game in-and-out and just literally all about health. If he can stay healthy, he’s going to be one of the best pitchers in the game just because of how smart he is and the stuff is still there.”
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