Max Scherzer said Friday he is ready to return to the majors after a five-scoreless-inning rehab start for the Buffalo Bisons, putting the Blue Jays closer to getting the 41-year-old back in their rotation.
Scherzer, who last pitched in the majors on June 10, threw 56 pitches on Wednesday in Buffalo and then completed a pre-game bullpen session at Fenway Park before speaking with reporters. He said his thumb responded well to cortisone injections and that he is in a good spot physically.
What Scherzer said about his readiness
“I’m in a good spot throwing the ball,” Scherzer said. “The ball’s coming out of my hand the way it needs to. So I’m looking to pitch here, in the big leagues.” He added, “I can feel it coming out of my hand, and that feels right.”
That is the clearest sign yet that Scherzer believes his rehab work is complete. He said, “I know I can pitch. I know I can still go out there and compete.”
Blue Jays manager John Schneider did not sound eager to rush the process, but he left the door open for a quick return. “We could,” Schneider said when asked whether Scherzer could be available against the Washington Nationals. “Not trying to force Max back before he's ready, but he felt good after the (triple-A) start. Hopefully he feels good tomorrow. We’ll see.”
Why it matters for the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays arrived at Fenway Park nine games under.500, and Scherzer’s return would give them another veteran arm at a time when the club is still weighing how to approach the upcoming trade deadline. He has logged only 22 big-league innings this season, so even a short stretch of healthy work would matter for a team trying to stabilize its rotation.
Scherzer also made it clear he is not interested in talking about bigger-picture decisions until the team reaches that point. “It's frustrating for sure,” he said. “But I've been so frustrated that it's pointless to keep harping on it, you know? For me, it's just stay positive, get back out there, have another shot, go out there and compete.”
For now, the focus is much simpler. “Our job is to come here, show up and win the ballgame,” Scherzer said. “We need to go 1-0 today.” And if the front office eventually makes a decision on the season, he said, then there will be time for those questions later.
