Max Scherzer’s fiery insistence on staying in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners became one of the defining moments of Thursday night’s matchup, as the veteran right-hander demanded the ball and delivered in vintage fashion.
In the fifth inning, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider made his way to the mound with Scherzer labouring through a tense at-bat. What followed was a scene that underscored the pitcher’s reputation as one of baseball’s fiercest competitors.
“Been waiting for that all year, for Max to yell at me on the mound,” Schneider quipped post-game. “I thought he was going to kill me. It was great. He locked eyes with me, both colours, as I walked out. It’s not fake. He has this Mad Max persona, but he backed it up tonight.”
Scherzer’s determination paid off. Facing outfielder Randy Arozarena, Scherzer bore down and struck him out with an off-speed pitch in the dirt. The sequence quickly went viral, with clips circulating across social media and broadcasters replaying the fiery mound visit.
“The infielders had a good laugh out there, and he got the job done,” Schneider said.
‘I knew I wanted the ball’
The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer came out for the bottom half of the sixth inning to face the heart of the Mariners’ batting order. He would get AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh to fly out and strike out Julio Rodriguez before issuing a walk to Jorge Polanco.
Scherzer was replaced by lefty reliever Mason Fluharty, who would walk Josh Naylor and give up an RBI single to Eugenio Suarez, with Toronto escaping the jam thanks to Addison Barger’s terrific throw to gun down Naylor at third base.
“It caught me off guard… It’s just one of those moments where I know I wanted the ball,” Scherzer said following Toronto’s 8-2 win. “I knew the situation of the game, I wanted the ball, and I basically told him that in a little bit different language.”
Scherzer scattered three hits and surrendered two earned runs with five strikeouts through 5 2/3 innings en route to earning the win. He surpassed Roger Clemens for fifth all-time in postseason strikeouts. It’s Scherzer’s first playoff victory since 2019, when he won the World Series with the Washington Nationals.
“It’s easy to say before the game, [but] he lives for this. You have to respect that and appreciate that,” Schneider said. “That’s why he’s going to the Hall of Fame.”
Toronto’s second-straight victory in Game 4 evened the ALCS, setting up a pivotal Game 5 in Seattle on Friday. The Blue Jays are turning to Kevin Gausman, who took the Game 1 loss despite an effective start in Toronto. Bryce Miller, who stymied Toronto with six strong innings in Game 1, starts for Seattle.
