When the Toronto Blue Jays signed veteran starting pitcher Max Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5 million contract in free agency this winter, they were hoping he still had at least one more good season left in the tank. Things did not get off to a good start in his Blue Jays debut against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Scherzer lasted just three innings and 45 pitches before being removed with what the Blue Jays are calling “right lat soreness.”
Scherzer allowed three hits, two earned runs, walked none and struck out one in his brief start.
The Blue Jays ended up losing Saturday’s game, 9-5, with relief pitcher Richard Lovelady allowing four earned runs in the inning after Scherzer was lifted to take the loss.
All of that, however, is secondary to the concern over Scherzer’s injury.
Even before his start on Saturday, he had spent a portion of the spring dealing with a thumb injury that had sidelined him. He also pitched in just nine games during the 2024 season as a member of the Texas Rangers.
The 40-year-old Scherzer is one of the best pitchers of this era and has a ticket to Cooperstown waiting for him when he retires. The Blue Jays were hoping they might be able to catch a glimpse of that this season. So far, the early returns are not encouraging. Especially when combined with the fact that he missed most of the 2024 season.
