Orioles 7 Jays 4
This one couldn't have gone much worse.
Dylan Beavers homered on the second pitch of the game.
Then, in the bottom of the first, the Jays had two on and one out, and Vladimir Guerrero was picked off first—just bad baseball. With a runner on second, he wasn't going anywhere. It looked like the Orioles put a play on: pitch low and outside to the right-handed-hitting Alejandro Kirk and catch Samuel Basallo throws straight to first. Vlad was out, and it wasn't close.
The second inning was even worse. The Orioles started the inning with four straight singles (2-0). Then a double (4-0). And another single (6-0). After that, Max Scherzer got the next 12 outs without giving up a hit. Barn doors and horse.

#second #straight #inning

The wins keep on rolling: tonight, the Kansas City Royals walked into the home of the Toronto Blue Jays and won 5-3 with a wild ninth inning that featured a pair of crucial defensive masterpieces.
In the first inning, both the Royals and Jays traded blows. Carter Jensen immediately singled against Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer; he was immediately followed by Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino walks to load the bases. Salvador Perez hit into a double play, an unfortunate result that at least scored Jensen. Fortunately for Kansas City, Toronto also loaded the bases in the first inning and also only scored one (a sacrifice fly from Jesús Sánchez).
From there, the game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, although not without traffic on the pasepaths. Royals starter Seth Lugo gave up half a dozen hits and a walk in his five innings, while Scherzer allowed nine total baserunners in his five innings.
Three said baserunners happened in the fifth inning. This time, Salvy singled to score Witt from third base and give the Royals a 2-1 lead—a lead which they would not relinquish.
The very next inning, the Royals extended their lead to three. Against relievers Braydon Fisher and Mason Fluharty, Nick Loftin and John Rave notched singles. Kyle Isbel then bunted, fueled by a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. throwing error. Jensen then hit a sac fly.

#kansas #scherzer

At a key time in the fantasy baseball calendar, we are unfortunately saddled with possibly the worst two-start pitcher group of the season. In fact, once we get past the top option, every other hurler may be best left for those in deep formats. On the hitting side, managers should load up on Rockies for the first half of the week.
Zac Thornton, Mets, 20% (vs. MIL, vs. HOU): Thornton continues to establish himself as a reliable major league rotation member and now sits at 3-4 with a 3.04 ERA and 1.13 WHIP after nine starts. The rookie struck out seven Padres in his most recent outing, which is a great sign from someone whose only weakness thus far has been an inability to accumulate whiffs. He unfortunately has a pair of matchups against top-10 teams in OPS versus righties, but at least both starts will take place at his pitcher-friendly home park.
Andrew Alvarez, Nationals, 7% (vs. COL, vs. MIA): Although Alvarez has enjoyed his best stretch of the season during August (2.42 ERA, 0.90 WHIP), the advanced stats (16:8 K:BB ratio, .169 BABIP) don't back up his success. In fact, the left-hander's strikeout rate this month (6.5 K/9) is notably lower than his season-long mark (8.3). Alvarez deserves credit for consistency, as he has allowed more than three earned runs in just one of his 19 appearances. However, most of his outings last less than five innings. He has reasonable matchups and the two-start options are poor this week, which makes him worth consideration as a low-floor, low-ceiling option in deeper formats.
Max Scherzer, Blue Jays, 6% (vs. KC, vs. SEA): After enjoying three consecutive strong starts, Scherzer faltered (4 IP, 7 ER) last time out. The outing wasn't quite as bad as the stat line indicates, as a pair of misplayed fly ***** by Jesús Sánchez ruined the right-hander's chances. Scherzer wouldn't normally rank as a viable two-start option, but he has had enough success of late to warrant consideration for two home starts against teams that rank 22nd (Royals) and 30th (Mariners) in runs scored.
Seth Lugo, Royals, 24% (@ TOR, @ CLE): Lugo opened the second half by posting a 2.37 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over three starts, but his 10:6 K:BB ratio in those outings showed that he hadn't truly turned around a poor season. Sure enough, the 36-year-old came crashing back to earth with a 7.48 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in his past four outings. Lugo has favorable matchups this week, as the Blue Jays (28th) and Guardians (26th) sit near the bottom of baseball in runs scored. That's the only reason to select him over those who trail him on this list.

#alvarez #start

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - MAY 04: Max Scherzer #31 of the Toronto Blue Jays takes the field prior to the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, May 4, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Alex Zadorozny/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Toronto Blue Jays have leaned heavily on Max Scherzer's experience throughout this season and last, even when the veteran right-hander has been dealing with health issues or struggling to find his best form on the mound.
That value extends beyond what Scherzer can provide on the mound. With more than a decade of postseason experience, three Cy Young Awards and a place among baseball's all-time strikeout leaders, Scherzer remains one of the most respected voices in the Blue Jays' clubhouse. His competitive edge has never really disappeared, either, even if he isn't still the frontline ace he once was.
"I never once lost belief in my ability, if I'm healthy, to be able to go out there and get outs, compete and try to win ballgames," Scherzer recently told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. Yeah, I've had little ailments pop up; OK, great, move on. No one feels sorry for you, so you've got to get back out here and start competing."
That mentality was on full display on Friday, although Scherzer wasn't the pitcher taking the mound. Instead, he found himself expressing the frustration felt by many Blue Jays in the dugout as New York Yankees rookie Cam Schlittler inexplicably delayed the start of the rivalry matchup.

#field #even

New York Daily News | Gary Philips: Jazz Chisholm Jr. has lost himself a considerable amount of money in his pending free agency with his downright bad 2026. The Yankee second baseman has managed just a 92 wRC+ with a career high strikeout rate, and of course self-proclaimed that he'd be able to land a 50/50 season in spring training. Jazz hasn't been the only problem with the team's offense of course, but he's been a major contributor — or rather, non-contributor. If nothing else he seems to at least be aware of it, but awareness is different from adjustment.
NJ.com | Adam Zagoria: Tommy John released a very sad public farewell to the Yankee franchise and fanbase over the weekend, as the 83 year old enters hospice care with bladder cancer. Dr. Chris Ahmad, the club's head doctor, penned his own touching open letter to the man on Monday, acknowledging John's place in baseball history and remarkable determination to return to the game despite the shortest of odds.
New York Post | Ethan Spears ($): The Yankees will not have a clear path through the AL without Aaron Judge returning and hitting like we're used to seeing Aaron Judge hit. Cody Bellinger will also likely need to be back, patrolling left field and hitting cleanup. However, the emergence of both George Lombard Jr. and Spencer Jones as potential lineup-lengtheners give the club a couple more options, although relying on rookies — including one with just five games under his belt — to be reliable contributors through their first taste of MLB baseball is a risky endevor.
FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: Gerrit Cole and Max Scherzer have been contemporaries atop the "best pitchers in baseball" list over the last decade or so, and they mirrored each other in strikeout accomplishments over the weekend. Scherzer fanned the 3,516th victim of his career on Saturday, moving into the top-10 in all of baseball history, and moments later Cole sat down the 1,000th batter as a Yankee, the fastest to do so in pinstripes, needing just 139 games. Both pitchers are closer to their enshrinement in Cooperstown than they are to having lost prospect status, but we can still mark the milestones when they come.

#Baseball #york

The Boston Red Sox scored one of the most bizarre runs you'll see in a baseball game thanks to a scoreboard error and some major mental mistakes from everyone on the field.
On Monday, the Red Sox were visiting the Toronto Blue Jays for a mid-August AL East series. With the Blue Jays up 2-0 in the top of the seventh inning, the Red Sox were looking to get on the scoresheet with runners on first and third with one out. While the broadcast graphics clearly said there was one out in the top of the seventh, the center field scoreboard in Toronto incorrectly displayed that there were two outs when Ceddanne Rafaela was up to bat.
What then happened was complete chaos. Rafaela popped the ball up to center field, yet the two Red Sox runners started to run the bases like there were two outs, with Anthony Seigler running to home without tagging at third. The Blue Jays also seemed confused as to how many outs there were, as they correctly executed the double play, but pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson and catcher Brandon Valenzuela started to walk off the field after the catch like the inning was over.
As expected, this created incredible confusion on the field in Toronto as the umpire attempted to sort things out, even going to a rules check in New York due to the weirdness of it all.
At the end of a 15 minute delay, the umpires announced that the Red Sox ended up earning a run on Seigler crossing home even though he didn't tag third. But why? Well, according to Sportsnet reporter Hazel Mae who talked to Max Scherzer, the Blue Jays were waved off by the home plate umpire and then couldn't appeal the decision because Richardson and Valenzuela walked off the field.

#jays #outs #seigler

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer moved into 10th place all-time in strikeouts, passing Hall of Famer Walter Johnson in the Blue Jays' 7-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night.
The 42-year-old Scherzer, making his ninth start of the season, has 3,516 career strikeouts, one more than Johnson, and is second to Justin Verlander (3,554) in strikeouts among active pitchers.
Scherzer struck out Kyle Schwarber leading off the sixth to move past Johnson before giving up consecutive home runs to Trea Turner and Bryce Harper that tied the game at 2 and ended his night.
Scherzer cruised through five scoreless innings against Philadelphia, scattering just three hits, and had retired nine in a row before the consecutive drives by Turner and Harper. He allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 7.25.
Scherzer was selected in the first round (No. 11 overall) by Arizona in the 2006 draft. He has won three Cy Youngs, made eight All-Star teams and won two World Series ****** les.

#strikeouts

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nathan Lukes hit a two-run home run in the 11th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7-5 on Saturday night.
Max Scherzer started for Toronto and moved into 10th place all-time in strikeouts with 3,516, passing Hall of Famer Walter Johnson (3,515). He is second on the list among active pitchers behind Justin Verlander (3,554).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered and had two RBIs for the Blue Jays, who will go for a three-game series sweep on Sunday.
Scherzer surrendered two runs on five hits with four strikeouts. He struck out Kyle Schwarber leading off the sixth to move past Johnson before giving up consecutive home runs to Trea Turner and Bryce Harper that tied the game at 2 and ended the right-hander's night.
Lukes drove a two-out, 3-2 sweeper off Chase Shugart (2-1) into the seats in right for the winning runs.

#lukes #toronto #scherzer #johnson

Mad Max rolled right past the Big Train on Major League Baseball's all-time strikeout list.
Scherzer recorded his 3,516th career strikeout Saturday, Aug. 8, punching out former teammate and Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber to move into 10th place all-time.
Scherzer, 42, was making just his ninth start this season thanks to a pair of stints on the injured list. He has recorded one 300-strikeout season, in 2018 with Washington, eight 200-strikeout seasons and twice has led the major leagues in strikeouts over his 19-year career.
Johnson, who debuted as a 19-year-old in 1907, won 417 games over a 21-year career and still leads all major leaguers with 110 career shutouts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Max Scherzer passes Walter Johnson for 10th place on all-time strikeouts list

#strikeout

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer has moved to 10th on the all-time strikeout list, passing Walter Johnson.
Scherzer achieved the feat by getting Kyle Schwarber to strike out looking in the bottom of the sixth inning. It was his fourth punchout of the game. Unfortunately, Trae Turner and Bryce Harper followed it up with a solo home run apiece, which forced Toronto to go to the bullpen.
The veteran starting pitcher entered the day with 3,512 career strikeouts, only three behind tying Johnson. Scherzer struck out Harper in the first inning, Garrett Stubbs in the third inning, and then Bryan De La Cruz in the fifth inning to tie the Hall of Famer.
Scherzer has the second-most strikeouts among active pitchers. He trails only Justin Verlander, who has 3,554. The veteran Verlander has already indicated that this will be his final season.
The Blue Jays pitcher will now set his sights on ******* Perry, who had 3,534 strikeouts. With Scherzer finishing Saturday night's game with 5,316, he only needs 19 strikeouts to move into sole possession of ninth-place all-time.

#toronto

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins commented on the trade deadline, including keeping several veterans on the team's roster.
The Blue Jays made several trades ahead of the MLB trade deadline, including trading away Kevin Gausman and acquiring Jose Soriano, among others.
However, while the team traded several players, they also kept George Springer, Max Scherzer, and Shane Bieber, despite all three players having expiring contracts.
Speaking to Blue Jays reporters following the team's deadline moves, Atkins revealed that the reason Springer was not moved at the deadline was that the veteran DH wanted to stay in Toronto.
"It was important for him to be here. We wanted him here as we continue to push forward," Atkins said.

#atkins #trade #players

Just minutes after the Dodgers dropped their second game in a row against the Boston Red Sox, they struck gold with a blockbuster deal that will define this year's trade deadline. In a move that was widely expected to come to fruition, the Dodgers got their big catch of the deadline as they struck gold by acquiring Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.
The Dodgers did not have to move that much prospect capital, as the return haul to Detroit includes outfielder Zyhir Hope, and pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith. With the Dodgers once again signifying their dominance in the trade market, here are some reactions to the Dodgers acquiring Skubal.
Mike Petriello of MLB.com writes about how the Dodgers deal for Skubal could go down as the greatest deadline deal for an ace that we've ever seen, comparing the deal to the Brewers acquiring Hall of Fame pitcher C.C. Sabathia in 2008.
We're talking pitchers as legendary and accomplished as Johnson, Scherzer, Sabathia and Verlander; we're talking about some great seasons from solid hurlers like Jeff Samardzija, Luis Castillo, Yu Darvish and Bartolo Colon; we're talking about the rare post-1986 Big June Trade in Freddy Garcia; we're talking about the best season of Sidney Ponson's career, and that one only barely.
The Dodgers' deal for Skubal now fortifies arguably the best rotation in baseball, with Sonja Chen of MLB.com noting that the team now boasts a starting staff of at least five potential aces.

#Dodgers #deadline #detroit #sabathia

Best pitchers traded at MLB trade deadline: Tarik Skubal joining C.C. Sabathia, Max Scherzer in company originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There's arguably nothing more valuable to a team's World Series chances than a true No. 1 arm in the rotation — an ace who can shut down any opposing lineup. Because of the exclusivity of that group of pitchers, teams rarely choose to trade one midseason.
The best pitchers moved at the MLB trade deadline are typically mid-rotation arms who may have a good track record or even some All-Star nods but aren't quite top-five pitchers in the sport or future Hall of Famers. When the true best-of-the-best pitchers are traded, it has typically happened in the offseason.
But the Detroit Tigers' situation with Tarik Skubal turned out to be an exception to those trends. According to multiple reports, the Tigers are trading Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers for prospects Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, Brady Smith.
Skubal is one of the best pitchers ever moved at the trade deadline. There have, however, been a few previous aces traded at the deadline who became elite weapons for their new teams.

#sporting

Best pitchers traded at MLB trade deadline: How Tarik Skubal can join C.C. Sabathia, Max Scherzer in company originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There's arguably nothing more valuable to a team's World Series chances than a true No. 1 arm in the rotation — an ace who can shut down any opposing lineup. Because of the exclusivity of that group of pitchers, teams rarely choose to trade one midseason.
The best pitchers moved at the MLB trade deadline are typically mid-rotation arms who may have a good track record or even some All-Star nods but aren't quite top-five pitchers in the sport or future Hall of Famers. When the true best-of-the-best pitchers are traded, it has typically happened in the offseason. But the Detroit Tigers' current situation with Tarik Skubal could be an exception to those trends.
With Skubal being the biggest name in trade rumors entering the 2026 deadline, the two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has a chance to become one of the best pitchers ever moved at the trade deadline. There have, however, been a few previous aces traded at the deadline who became elite weapons for their new teams.
From Max Scherzer to Randy Johnson, here's a look at some of the best pitchers ever dealt at MLB's trade deadline.

#scherzer

WASHINGTON — This time, there was little argument when Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider came to the mound to take the ball from Max Scherzer.
This time, as Scherzer departed the mound for the dugout and a small but spirited Nationals Park crowd of 17,618 offered a standing ovation, Scherzer didn't stare daggers and skulk into the dugout.
Instead, he turned and wearily offered a wave of his right hand to a crowd that still reveres him for his work in Washington.
On Monday, July 27, Scherzer celebrated his 42nd birthday by returning to a major league mound for the first time since June 10 and just the ninth time this season. Back spasms shelved him most recently for six weeks, just one start after he returned from another six-week absence due to right forearm tendinitis and ankle inflammation.
Yet the details are almost irrelevant. Simply, Scherzer is old.

#mound #dugout

For years, we've come to expect the MLB All-Star Game to feature players who have perennially been among the best in the sport. We become accustomed to seeing the same names fill out the rosters. Guys like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Chris Sale, Jose Altuve, Mike Trout, and more. While some of those names are still here in Philadelphia, it feels like we're witnessing a little bit of a changing of the guard, particularly amongst the starting pitchers.
This year's All-Star rosters had 26 first-time players selected, and 14 of the starting pitchers will be making their first or second appearance in the Midsummer Classic. Six of those starting pitchers (plus Paul Skenes, who is making his third appearance) are 26 years old or younger, and all of them, apart from Skenes, have made fewer than 35 career MLB starts. For comparison's sake, Chris Sale, who is also participating in the All-Star Game, has made 329 career starts (even with his litany of injuries).
"I think the game's changing, the game's getting younger," acknowledged Reds' starting pitcher Chase Burns, who is making his first career All-Star appearance. "I know it probably sucks to say that for older guys, but, you know, it's because of them that the game's gotten better."
That deference to the veterans was common amongst the young hurlers who were present at the All-Star game: "It's a good mix of older, veteran guys that we can learn from, and then a lot of hungry guys that are trying to make it back here every year and stay healthy," said Yankees' starter Cam Schlittler, who is also making his first All-Star appearance.
The "hungry" young guys that Schlittler talked about have been making their presence known this season. Among qualified starting pitchers, five of the top 10 starters in WAR are current All-Stars who are 26 years old or younger. Seven of the top 12 qualified starting pitchers in terms of strikeout rate are 26 years old or younger, including the Guardians' Gavin Williams and the Mets' Nolan McLean, who were not selected as All-Stars.

In just two seasons, Jacob Misiorowski has taken Major League Baseball by storm.
The Milwaukee Brewers' 24-year-old pitching phenom is already one of baseball's most electric arms. With his 6-foot-7, 201-pound frame, he throws comfortably at 100 mph or faster on his pitches, and has even recorded 105.5 mph on a pitch against the Chicago Cubs on June 26, which is tied for the third fastest pitch in MLB history.
He is 10-4 this season and has struck out a video-game-like 167 hitters in his 18 starts in the first half, which is the most strikeouts for a pitcher before the All-Star break since Gerrit Cole (170) and Max Scherzer (181) in 2019.

The Toronto Blue Jays do not need to chase the loudest MLB trade deadline headline. They need a fifth starter. That sounds boring. Good. Boring is exactly how smart teams actually fix themselves. The Blue Jays have enough recognizable names on the roster that it is easy to imagine a bigger, flashier deadline move. An impact bat would be exciting. A late-inning reliever would make sense.
Those are the types of additions that create buzz and feel like immediate upgrades. But Toronto’s clearest need is less dramatic than that, and it starts with stabilizing the back end of the rotation.
MORE: Ranking MLB players based on their chances of being traded this season
The top of the Blue Jays’ rotation is fine enough to compete. That is not the issue. The issue is what happens after that. The No. 5 spot has been unstable, and the injuries have made the margin even thinner. José Berríos and Cody Ponce are done for the year. Max Scherzer has been back on the injured list. Patrick Corbin doesn’t exactly scream solution.
So why are we pretending this is complicated? Toronto needs someone who can take the ball every fifth day and not tax the bullpen into a crime scene by the fourth inning. That may not be ***** y, but it works. It works in July. It works in September. And if the Blue Jays actually get to October, it works when the entire pitching staff is being squeezed for outs.

The start of another series, and all I’m thinking is ‘don’t be swept’.
That stuff about Addison Barger being back soon? Not so much. He has a ‘stress reaction in his back’. I guess that means stress fracture, but he’ll be shut down for two more weeks. So let’s hope that he might be back at the end of July.
Beyond that Yimi Garcia is ‘feeling a little better’ and playing catch. And Max Scherzer is playing catch, too.
This is nice. I want to say something snarky about any Met player would be sad if they thought they could be playing for Toronto.
There was also this:

The American League is wide open. Yes, the Toronto Blue Jays are 9.5 games out of first place in the American League East, and it doesn’t look like they will catch the New York Yankees, but that doesn’t really matter. Despite being 39-41, the Blue Jays are currently locked into the third and final Wild Card spot. That means, if the season ended today, Toronto would make the playoffs with a .488 winning percentage. However, there are five teams within two games of them, so it’s certainly not the time to rest on their laurels. Instead, the Blue Jays need to push forward, so let’s take a look at three trades they should make at the MLB trade deadline.
RELATED: MLB Insider Joel Sherman names 4 Yankees who could be traded at the deadline
Jeff Hoffman hasn’t been the answer in the closer role for Toronto, and I’m not sure he recovered from the World Series home run he allowed last year. His early-season struggles relegated the right-hander to a setup role, and Louis Varland has stepped up. He’s already up to 16 saves on the season, and his 0.84 ERA really can’t get much better. However, he also has no prior closing experience before this season.
With the Blue Jays not being able to truly count on Hoffman, more depth and experience is needed. The Boston Red Sox aren’t going anywhere this season, and Chapman could be just what the Blue Jays need to lock down the late innings. With 12.05 strikeouts, 14 saves, and a 2.08 ERA this season, the left-hander hasn’t lost a step.
It’s clear that Toronto can’t rely on Max Scherzer, so by that thought process, do they want to rely on Patrick Corbin and the health of Shane Bieber?

Blue Jays 3 Red Sox 0
It seems weird to get a shutout in a game that the Jays pitchers really didn’t look great
An impromptu bullpen day, with Max Scherzer scratched with back tightness (landing him on the IL), Jays pitchers walked seven and allowed seven hits. You’d imagine one of those baserunners would have come around to score. The Red Sox were 0 for 12 with RISP.
We did get some good defense. Kazuma Okamoto made a couple of terrific plays (two in the eighth in particular) and Vladimir Guerrero had just an excellent night with the glove. Davis Schneider also made an excellent catch in left field.
On the pitching side:

BOSTON (AP) — Andrés Giménez had two hits, an RBI and three steals, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in two runs and Toronto beat the Boston Red Sox 3-0 on Wednesday night after the Blue Jays placed scheduled starter Max Scherzer on the injured list.
Braydon Fisher got the first four outs after back spasms landed the 41-year-old right-hander on the 10-day IL for the second time this season.
Simeon Woods Richardson (1-7), acquired in a cash deal June 3 after a 0-7 start with the Twins, followed with three shutout innings for the victory. Louis Varland struck out the side in the ninth for his 14th save.
Toronto used seven pitchers to strand 13 baserunners as the Red Sox went 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position. Boston left 13 on base in a 6-1 loss in the opener and went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position, although the hit didn’t score a run.
Davis Schneider led off the third with a double off rookie Jake Schneider (1-3) and Giménez followed with a one-out single for the lead. Giménez stole second before George Springer was hit by a pitch, and the pair pulled off a double steal before Guerrero's groundout made it 2-0.

BOSTON (AP) — Max Scherzer is back on the injured list.
The Toronto Blue Jays placed the three-time Cy Young winner on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with back spasms. The move came hours before Scherzer was scheduled to start against the Boston Red Sox.
Toronto will use reliever Braydon Fisher as an opener against Boston instead.
Scherzer, who turns 42 next month, spent more than six weeks on the injured list this season with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation. He returned last week and became the 11th pitcher in major league history to reach 3,500 career strikeouts when he fanned Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber.
The moment proved to be the highlight as Scherzer was pulled after giving up five runs in 3 1/3 innings in what became a 7-4 loss to the Phillies.

The Jays officially activated Dylan Cease off the IL and sent Adam Macko back to Buffalo.
Macko pitched in 12 games for the Jays, with a 1.50 ERA. In 12 innings he had allowed 11 hits, 1 home run, 2 walks and 12 strikeouts. Batters hit .244/.282/.333 against him. I liked that he could throw more than an inning at a go. I am sure we’ll see him again.
Dylan Cease made 11 starts, before going on the IL, with a 3-3 record, and a 3.05 ERA. Batters hit .215/.302/.307 against him. I’m very happy to have him back and even more happy that we won’t be seeing ‘bullpen days’ so often. Spencer Miles can slot into a long relief role (along with Woods Richardson).
And Max Scherzer will be getting tomorrow’s start, with someone else getting moved out.
Alejandro Kirk is DHing for the Bisons tonight, he’s only a few days from being back.

Blue Jays all-in trade prediction sends top-100 prospects for $32M 2-time Cy Young winner originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Blue Jays are trying to get back on track after a disappointing start to the season. Just a few months ago, they were competing in the World Series; now they find themselves outside of a playoff spot.
The starting rotation has been dealing with injuries for much of the year, though several key arms are nearing returns.
“The Blue Jays are getting dangerously close to a run of “good news” on the pitching front. In 2026, that still feels so unfamiliar. It was Max Scherzer’s turn in the Buffalo Bisons’ rotation Friday night, the middle man in a string of rehab starts that featured Dylan Cease on Thursday and ends with another Cy Young winner in Shane Bieber on Saturday,” MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson wrote.
Even with those reinforcements on the way, there are still rumors that Toronto could pursue Tarik Skubal.