The Toronto Blue Jays are set to welcome back a three-time Cy Young Award winner.
Max Scherzer will start for Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians, he confirmed to Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae on Sunday.
Scherzer, 40, has been on the injured list due to a thumb ailment that limited him to just three innings in his first and only start with the Blue Jays in March.
But his rehab process ramped up recently with a pair of starts for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons in which he threw 56 and 75 pitches, respectively.
On Sunday, Scherzer tossed 30-40 pitches in a bullpen session.
“My stuff is fine,” he told Sportsnet. “I’m trying everything I can to manage this [thumb] and make sure I can recover.
“There’s no knowing, just have to get out there.”
Scherzer, a two-time World Series winner, signed a one-year, $15-million contract with Toronto in the off-season to shore up the rotation behind Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt and Kevin Gausman.
But the move hasn’t gone as planned over the first third of the year, as Scherzer has been out with injury while Bowden Francis struggled before hitting the IL himself, leaving two open spots in the Blue Jays’ rotation.
Eric Lauer and Spencer Turnbull have been the latest choices to fill those spots, with Lauer the probable option to remain in the rotation after recording a 3.78 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 16.2 innings in four starts this season.
It stands to reason that Turnbull will move to long relief after he was shelled to the tune of four earned runs over two innings in the series opener against the White Sox on Friday.
Scherzer also battled injury with the Texas Rangers last year, making just nine starts with a 3.95 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 43.1 innings.
In 2023, he made 27 starts with the New York Mets and Rangers, posting a 3.77 ERA over 152.2 innings.
Now, he’ll rejoin a Blue Jays rotation in need of a boost.
