Blue Jays receive disappointing injury update on Max Scherzer

Signing Max Scherzer this offseason was a potential gamble for the Toronto Blue Jays. After the starting pitcher already suffered an injury, it's fair to wonder if it may backfire.

On Sunday, the Blue Jays placed Scherzer on the 15-day injured list because of inflammation in his right thumb. He has battled this thumb issue since 2023. 

Per the Associated Press, Toronto manager John Schneider said the pitcher will see a hand specialist for his thumb in the U.S. on Monday. 

"Hopefully this kind of resets him and knocks it out," Schneider said of Scherzer's thumb injury. "We obviously need him. Elite pitcher, and we want him to feel his best." 

This comes after Scherzer exited his first start against the Baltimore Orioles with lat soreness. Against Baltimore, he threw only 45 pitches in three innings, allowing two home runs. (The Orioles won 9-5.) 

In a postgame news conference, the 40-year-old explained his lat issue and thumb injury are "100 percent related." 

"Everything is compensating because of that thumb. The thumb is slightly better, but I still have discomfort in there," Scherzer said, via The Athletic's Rebecca Tauber. "My arm is making adjustments because of that. That's a recipe for disaster." 

Scherzer's injury update highlights why this signing may not pan out for the Blue Jays. He has won three Cy Young Awards in 18 seasons but hasn't started in 30 games since 2021. 

In 2024, he was recovering from back surgery and didn't make his first start for the Texas Rangers until June 23. A nerve problem, shoulder issues and a hamstring strain limited him to nine starts. 

Scherzer may not pitch at an elite level when he returns. Last season, he posted the second-lowest strikeout percentage (22.6%) of his career, per Baseball Reference.

Scherzer's potential replacements — Easton Lucas and Yariel Rodriguez — don't inspire confidence. Lucas — who was recalled from Triple-A — has no starts in the majors. Rodriguez, meanwhile, went 1-8 in 2024 and logged a 4.47 ERA in 21 starts.

Perhaps the Blue Jays should've thought twice about adding Scherzer. Signing the aging, injury-prone pitcher has left a potential hole in their rotation.