Max Scherzer gave up three runs in five innings on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians in a rusty return to the Toronto Blue Jays after a long layoff due to a thumb injury.
The appearance was Scherzer’s first since a three-inning outing in his Blue Jays debut on March 29. After that start, he was placed on the 60-day injured list due to thumb inflammation, and he hadn’t pitched again until Wednesday. The Guardians won the game 5-4.
Scherzer starts game with walk, lets pitch clock expire
Scherzer started his return with a nine-pitch walk of leadoff hitter Steven Kwan. Kwan came around to score on a single after stealing second base, giving the Guardians a 1-0 lead. Scherzer didn’t allow another run until a two-run fourth inning that was sparked by a pitch-clock violation.
With two outs and a man on third after a double and a wild pitch, Scherzer worked a full count against right fielder Nolan Jones. Then Scherzer was too slow with the payoff pitch. He was hit with a pitch-clock violation, which meant an automatic ball and a free pass to first base for Jones, putting runners on the corners.
Max Scherzer was rusty in his return to the mound Wednesday night. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In the next at-bat, Gabriel Arias cleared the bases with a two-run double that extended the Cleveland lead to 3-1.
Scherzer went on to pitch a scoreless fifth inning that ended with a swinging strikeout of Carlos Santana on a curveball. With that, his night was done. Scherzer finished the game with three earned runs on six hits and three walks in five innings. He recorded four strikeouts.
Can Scherzer regain form at 40 years old?
The Blue Jays signed Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5 million contract in the offseason. In his previous two seasons with the Texas Rangers, Scherzer was limited to 45 and 43 1/3 innings, respectively, due to multiple injuries, including to his back, shoulder, triceps and hamstring.
He did pitch for Texas in the postseason during its run to the 2023 World Series championship. And he was effective when available, posting a 3.57 ERA with 93 strikeouts in his 88 1/3 regular-season innings.
A three-time Cy Young winner, eight-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, Scherzer isn’t what he used to be at 40 years old. But the Blue Jays are hoping he can reproduce in Toronto the type of effort he delivered during his time in Texas.
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