The beginnings of Max Scherzer with the Blue Jays of Toronto were to be forgotten on Saturday. The future temple of fame has sold two solo circuits into three rounds against the Baltimore Orioles before being removed with what the team called the LAT right. The Orioles won the second time in three games in this series (Bal 9, Tor 5).
“(There was) an imminent danger,” said Scherzer after being withdrawn from the early Saturday match (via Sportsnet). “It’s 100% linked to the thumb … I’m frustrated. I want to launch. I have to get this 100% before resuming.”
Scherzer missed time with a right thumb injury at the end of spring training and he thinks that his LAT pain is the result of his body compensating for the thumb. He will meet team physicians to determine the next step. Scherzer had to launch around 80 locations on Saturday. It was removed after launching 45.
Since 2021, the average absence of LAT voltage for launchers is 78 days, according to the Prospectus baseball recovery database. Even relatively minor LAT strains can put the touch of a launcher for months, not weeks. The Blue Jays have a solid start five, although their depth behind this top five is quite limited. Here is their depth of rotation board:
- Rhp Jose Berrios
- Rhp Kevin Gausman
Rhp Max Scherzer(Let Saturday starts with the LAT pain)- Rhp Chris Bassitt
- Rhp Bowden Francis
- Rhp Yariel Rodríguez
- Rhp Jake Bloss
Rodríguez opened the season in the enclosure of the lifts and granted three points in one round on the day of the opening. The Blue Jays would probably put him in the rotation to replace Scherzer rather than calling Bloss, who struggled badly during spring training (eight points and three circuits in eight sleeves). Rodríguez achieved an MPM of 4.47 in 21 departures last season.
Scherzer, 41 years old in July, was limited to nine departures by rear surgery and a shoulder number last season. He underwent a major muscle strain of Teres in September 2023 and returned before the scheduled date to help the Texas Rangers in the playoffs. Once one of the excellent work horses of the generation, injuries began to accumulate on Scherzer at the end of his career.
The defeat on Saturday fell from Toronto to 1-2 on the young season. Their pitch staff granted 10 circuits in 27 rounds.