The Toronto Blue Jays could soon be getting back star pitcher Max Scherzer.
Scherzer has been injured since he left his first start of the season on March 29. The future Hall of Famer lasted just three innings as he was dealing with a thumb injury. Since then, it’s been a long recovery process, but Scherzer is inching closer to a return, according to Blue Jays insider Ben Nicholson-Smith.
“Max Scherzer expected to join Blue Jays soon,” Nicholson-Smith wrote. “Thumb sore as expected after 75 pitches. He’ll throw a bullpen in Toronto this weekend setting up a possible start vs. Guardians next week. Not official but trending well.”
Scherzer signed a one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Blue Jays in the offseason and was supposed to be a key part of the rotation.
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Once Scherzer does return, he will enter the rotation, likely replacing Bowden Francis who’s on the IL and has struggled this season.
"It would be huge just to have him knowing that you have that caliber of pitcher waiting on your staff every fifth day," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said about Scherzer. "It would be a nice shot in the arm.”
Scherzer, meanwhile, said after his latest Triple-A start that he won’t celebrate until he’s back in the majors and helping Toronto win baseball games.
Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young Award winner.
More MLB: Blue Jays’ Max Scherzer takes impressive step toward MLB return from injury