The Toronto Blue Jays could use a boost to their starting rotation. Through their first 36 games, the unit has posted a 4.44 ERA, good enough for 26th in MLB.
A key piece of that rotation has been on the injured list since March in future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer. Scherzer left his debut with the Blue Jays with inflammation in his right thumb after only three innings.
The organization received some promising news on Wednesday, however. The veteran faced live batters for the first time since the injury, and Scherzer said his thumb “felt good.” It is a great sign, but after transferring the starter to the 60-day injured list earlier this week, it still may be June before he gets back on the field in a meaningful game.
“It felt good,” Scherzer, 40, said via ESPN. “I’ve gotten all the inflammation out, so I can finally grip the ball again and not blow out my shoulder. But I’m not celebrating this until I’m back starting in a major league game.”
The veteran has received two cortisone shots for the ailing thumb, and if the inflammation is out, as Scherzer said, the shots have done their job. The recent move to the 60-day IL, however, keeps Scherzer unavailable for activation until May 29 at the earliest.
This extra time does give the veteran more runway to get ramped back up to game shape. He has not pitched 100 or more innings in a single season since 2023, as he was dealing with injuries again last year as a member of the Texas Rangers. In 2024, Scherzer made only nine starts and pitched 43 1/3 innings.
At this point in the year, the Blue Jays will take any help they can get for the rotation. Their starters have pitched a total of 186 2/3 innings entering Thursday, the 23rd most in MLB, while the bullpen has thrown 135 innings, the 11th most. Adding a veteran like Scherzer back into the mix, who can eat innings when fully healthy, is sure to take a load off the bullpen’s shoulders.
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