Latest news with #Scherzer
Global News
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Global News
Blue Jays bullpen trying to stay ready
TORONTO – Every five games the Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen has had to step up. Sometimes it works, and sometimes, like Toronto's 7-1 loss to the lowly Chicago White Sox on Friday, it does not. Spencer Turnbull, who served as the so-called opener in the bullpen day, said it's been a team-first mentality for his fellow relievers. 'It's a stay ready, next man up kind of thing,' said Turnbull (1-1) after giving up four runs on five hits and two walks over two innings. 'Everybody's pulling their own weight. We all want to win. We want to do whatever we can to contribute. 'Just being able to stay flexible and be able to do whatever is needed. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do my job tonight, and I'll flush that one but hopefully, I'm sure moving forward, it'll be better.' Story continues below advertisement It was a double bullpen game, with both teams trotting out a handful of relief pitchers with no starters available. Mason Fluharty followed Turnbull to the mound for the Blue Jays (40-35). He gave up three runs on two hits and two walks, before Braydon Fisher, Nick Sandlin, Chad Green, Brendon Little and Jeff Hoffman combined for six scoreless innings. Toronto's bullpen entered the game with a 3.61 earned-run average, 11th-best in Major League Baseball and seventh in the American League. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'I thought they did a good job from the fourth inning on,' said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. '(Fisher) was great, giving us two innings there and I think everyone did their part in a game like that. 'But you want to try to avoid that, for sure. It's a fine line between planning for the next day and trying to keep the game that you're competing in at bay.' Story continues below advertisement Grant Taylor pitched one scoreless inning for the White Sox (23-53) before giving way to long reliever Tyler Alexander (4-7), who worked four without giving up a run. Dan Altavilla, Wikelman Gonzalez and Tyler Gilbert also came out of the visitors bullpen at Rogers Centre, with Gonzalez allowing a run. The Blue Jays have had to rely on relievers with veteran pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) on the injured list since his first start of the season. Eric Lauer (3-1) began to get starts instead of Schneider doing bullpen days, but then Bowden Francis (shoulder) was put on the IL on June 15. Relievers have started 13 games for Toronto so far this season. Scherzer had a bullpen session scheduled for Saturday after two promising rehab starts with triple-A Buffalo. It appears that the surefire Hall of Famer will likely start against the Cleveland Guardians at some point next week. Turnbull said he's not sure what his role will be when Scherzer comes back. 'We haven't really had a ton of discussions about that,' he said. 'I'm just trying to stay flexible and just do whatever they ask. I just want to do whatever I can to help the team. 'If Scherzer's ready to come back, that's awesome. He's one of the best ever to do it, so he'll help the team a lot when he gets up here.' Story continues below advertisement Francis (2-8) had a cortisone injection on Tuesday and will continue to rest. Jose Berrios (2-3) gets the start on Saturday afternoon as Toronto continues its three-game series against the White Sox. Chicago will counter with Aaron Civale (1-3). Schneider said that Fisher and Sandlin likely won't be available in Saturday's game, but the rest of Toronto's bullpen should be good to go. 'I think you can be aggressive in games like today when you have Jose and (Sunday starter Chris Bassitt) going before an off day,' said Schneider. 'We're going to rely on those guys to do their part.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025.
National Post
a day ago
- Sport
- National Post
Kevin Gausman believes Blue Jays' desperate need for reliable starting pitching starts with him
Article content How desperate are the Blue Jays for reliable, healthy, go-deep-into-games starting pitching? Article content Despite the impressive recent success and surge by the team, a June run that has vaulted them into contention for the AL East division title, the concern is high and seemingly getting higher with each turn through the rotation. Article content Article content The question marks go beyond that of the struggles of Bowden Francis, the ongoing (but potentially almost resolved) health of Max Scherzer's thumb and the lingering saga of the Blue Jays sometimes-twice-weekly bullpen day. Article content No, the concern now extends to a would-be ace of the Toronto rotation, veteran Kevin Gausman. The always-transparent right-hander has been the first to admit that June has been a near disaster for him and acknowledges that he needs to be better. Article content 'June has been really ugly for me,' Gausman said after an ugly outing on Thursday in which he allowed seven runs and two homers and was chased by the Arizona Diamondbacks after just 4.1 dodgy innings. 'To be honest, I feel like everybody kind of did their jobs this series and I didn't. (The team) is playing really good right now and going for a sweep (against the D'Backs) and I go out there and do that. I'm pretty frustrated.' Article content Article content 'Like a lot of people, when Kevin's ahead (in the count), Kevin's elite,' manager John Schneider said after watching his starter surrender a season-high seven earned runs. 'Not getting there has just been tough for him.' Article content Who knows what is causing Gausman to regress, as three of his past four starts have gone five innings or less and he has been nowhere near his best. But it isn't a stretch to suggest that the wear and tear on the pitching staff eventually was going to take its toll on at least one of the big three starters — Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios. Article content The workload foisted on that threesome for parts of the past three seasons has been formidable and, for the most part, handled with good health and solid form. But regressing to a four-man rotation at various points in that run unsurprisingly can come with a cost. Article content For the most part, the Jays have survived the latest challenge of being a man down, a reality that has dragged on all season. The latest example is scheduled for Friday where Spencer Turnbull is set to get the start in a planned bullpen day for the first date of a three-game weekend series against the miserable Chicago White Sox. Article content In the broader picture, the overriding and mitigating good news is that, at 40-34, the Jays are comfortably in a playoff position and, with a shored-up rotation at some point between now and the trade deadline, have a realistic opportunity to run down the New York Yankees for the division title.
Toronto Star
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Max Scherzer wants to be back with the Blue Jays. After Bisons rehab start, he's ‘not out of the woods'
BUFFALO, N.Y.—At the height of his major-league career, when Max Scherzer was accumulating accolades, championships and three Cy Young Awards, it seemed unfathomable for him to need a minor-league rehab stint. But on Friday, Scherzer, now with the Blue Jays organization and coming back from thumb inflammation, took the mound for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, marking the third year in four seasons that the 40-year old has needed work in the minors. After a disappointing start to his Jays career — a three-inning outing against Baltimore on March 29 — Scherzer was very effective, throwing 39 of his 56 pitches for strikes in 4 1/3 innings against the Columbus Clippers. He allowed four hits while striking out four. More importantly, he averaged about 92 miles per hour with his fastball, a pitch he used 23 times. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'I'm not celebrating anything until I'm actually in big-league games and recovering from big-league games,' Scherzer said after his outing. 'This thumb issue is serious and I'm still not out of the woods.' Blue Jays Opinion Gregor Chisholm: Blue Jays quick hits: Phillies' Suarez, two relievers combine on five-hit shutout The Jays didn't reach second base against Suarez until the seventh inning. He allowed a one-out double to Brayan Rocchio, a player with more than 200 games of major-league experience, in the first inning and a leadoff homer to C.J. Kayfus in the second. The most pitches he needed in any inning was a 22-pitch fourth, when he allowed two hits and a run. He fanned Kyle Datres on three pitches in the fifth, the final one an 84-m.p.h. changeup. He then gave way to reliever Kevin Gowdy and left to an enthusiastic ovation, saluting the fans before reaching the dugout. When he left, Scherzer had thrown six different types of pitches, including 15 sliders and eight changeups, helping the Bisons remain deadlocked 2-2. Buffalo scored three runs in the ninth inning to earn a 6-5 walk-off win. 'I got my work in,' Scherzer said. 'Tomorrow is a very important day to make sure my body is responding correctly. I feel like I did the right amount. We were looking for 60-65 pitches, and came up a little bit short, but feel like I'm in a position to be able to recover well.' He was quick to dismiss any comparisons to his March start. 'That was a lat issue,' he said. 'My thumb was barking and my lat was about to blow. I got out of there before something bad happened. My thumb's in a better spot, but I'm not going to celebrate this until I'm fully built up.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Blue Jays Opinion Gregor Chisholm: Alejandro Kirk's all-star worthy play is carrying the Blue Jays — and making the front office look good, too Kirk's standout performance has him on the cusp of his second all-star appearance and helps Scherzer also clarified that his pinpoint precision wasn't exactly back to normal yet. 'Even though I was throwing strikes, I wasn't getting to the exact spots I was trying to get to,' he said. 'Until you're actually in a real game and put the ball where you want to, it takes time and feel and a little rhythm. It'll come as I get more games under my belt.' Buffalo plays next week in Worcester against the Boston affiliate, but it's too soon to determine when exactly Scherzer will return to the mound He did admit he needs more action with the Bisons, declaring: 'I definitely need another one. We'll make that determination later. It'll be a collective decision, not just mine. 'I'm chomping at the bit. I'm dying here (on the injured list). I want to be out there competing, helping the ball club win. I've got to do my work here, do this process right and build up right.' For the Bisons, who drew a Scherzer-enhanced 11,614, it was the seventh time in the franchise's history that a past or future Cy Young Award winner has pitched for the club, following Canadian standout Fergie Jenkins, Dwight Gooden, Bartolo Colon, Cliff Lee, C.C. Sabathia, and R.A. Dickey. Only Gooden and Sabathia worked on rehab assignments.
Toronto Star
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer throws 56 pitches in Buffalo but says ‘I'm still not out of the woods'
BUFFALO, N.Y.—At the height of his major-league career, when Max Scherzer was accumulating accolades, championships and three Cy Young Awards, it seemed unfathomable for him to need a minor-league rehab stint. But on Friday, Scherzer, now with the Blue Jays organization and coming back from thumb inflammation, took the mound for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, marking the third year in four seasons that the 40-year old has needed work in the minors. After a disappointing start to his Jays career — a three-inning outing against Baltimore on March 29 — Scherzer was very effective, throwing 39 of his 56 pitches for strikes in 4 1/3 innings against the Columbus Clippers. He allowed four hits while striking out four. More importantly, he averaged about 92 miles per hour with his fastball, a pitch he used 23 times. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'I'm not celebrating anything until I'm actually in big-league games and recovering from big-league games,' Scherzer said after his outing. 'This thumb issue is serious and I'm still not out of the woods.' Blue Jays Opinion Gregor Chisholm: Blue Jays quick hits: Phillies' Suarez, two relievers combine on five-hit shutout The Jays didn't reach second base against Suarez until the seventh inning. He allowed a one-out double to Brayan Rocchio, a player with more than 200 games of major-league experience, in the first inning and a leadoff homer to C.J. Kayfus in the second. The most pitches he needed in any inning was a 22-pitch fourth, when he allowed two hits and a run. He fanned Kyle Datres on three pitches in the fifth, the final one an 84-m.p.h. changeup. He then gave way to reliever Kevin Gowdy and left to an enthusiastic ovation, saluting the fans before reaching the dugout. When he left, Scherzer had thrown six different types of pitches, including 15 sliders and eight changeups, helping the Bisons remain deadlocked 2-2. Buffalo scored three runs in the ninth inning to earn a 6-5 walk-off win. 'I got my work in,' Scherzer said. 'Tomorrow is a very important day to make sure my body is responding correctly. I feel like I did the right amount. We were looking for 60-65 pitches, and came up a little bit short, but feel like I'm in a position to be able to recover well.' He was quick to dismiss any comparisons to his March start. 'That was a lat issue,' he said. 'My thumb was barking and my lat was about to blow. I got out of there before something bad happened. My thumb's in a better spot, but I'm not going to celebrate this until I'm fully built up.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Blue Jays Opinion Gregor Chisholm: Alejandro Kirk's all-star worthy play is carrying the Blue Jays — and making the front office look good, too Kirk's standout performance has him on the cusp of his second all-star appearance and helps Scherzer also clarified that his pinpoint precision wasn't exactly back to normal yet. 'Even though I was throwing strikes, I wasn't getting to the exact spots I was trying to get to,' he said. 'Until you're actually in a real game and put the ball where you want to, it takes time and feel and a little rhythm. It'll come as I get more games under my belt.' Buffalo plays next week in Worcester against the Boston affiliate, but it's too soon to determine when exactly Scherzer will return to the mound He did admit he needs more action with the Bisons, declaring: 'I definitely need another one. We'll make that determination later. It'll be a collective decision, not just mine. 'I'm chomping at the bit. I'm dying here (on the injured list). I want to be out there competing, helping the ball club win. I've got to do my work here, do this process right and build up right.' For the Bisons, who drew a Scherzer-enhanced 11,614, it was the seventh time in the franchise's history that a past or future Cy Young Award winner has pitched for the club, following Canadian standout Fergie Jenkins, Dwight Gooden, Bartolo Colon, Cliff Lee, C.C. Sabathia, and R.A. Dickey. Only Gooden and Sabathia worked on rehab assignments.
San Francisco Chronicle
14-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
3-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer works his way back to rotation with Triple-A rehab start
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer topped out at 94 mph and threw 56 pitches on Friday night in his first Triple-A rehab outing since the Toronto right-hander suffered inflammation in his right thumb. Scherzer, 40, signed a one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Blue Jays in February. Scherzer left his debut start with the team against Baltimore on March 29 after three innings because of soreness in his right lat muscle. The next day, Toronto put Scherzer on the injured list because of inflammation in his thumb. Scherzer gave up two runs, struck out four and walked none over 4 1/3 innings in an anticipated start for Triple-A Buffalo against the Columbus Clippers. He waved in appreciation to a crowd that gave him a big ovation as he walked off the field. 'It'll be the most watched Triple-A game for a while,' Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. 'Or most uploaded Triple-A game.' Scherzer did allow a 425-foot home run to one of the top 100 prospects in minor league baseball, Columbus left fielder C.J. Kayfus. Schneider said ahead of Toronto's game Friday night in Philadelphia that the box score didn't matter to him. He wanted to make sure Scherzer came out of the game healthy. 'I want to see how Max feels tomorrow,' Schneider said. 'I could care less about the line score. I want to see 60-65 pitches. I want to see the fastball velo is good and he's coming out healthy.' Scherzer has had two cortisone injections this season to relieve inflammation in his thumb. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list last month, but became eligible to return May 29. Scherzer won World Series titles with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023. He won his first Cy Young Award after going 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 32 starts for Detroit in 2013. The eight-time All-Star earned consecutive NL Cy Young Awards with Washington in 2016 and 2017. Schneider said Scherzer would likely need one more rehab start before he can join the Blue Jays' rotation. The Blue Jays are in second place behind the Yankees in the AL East. 'The plan right now is to meet us here and probably throw a bullpen and then go back and do another one,' Schneider said. ___
