TORONTO - Max Scherzer, after a rough outing, walked off the mound at the Rogers Centre and into the dugout, keeping his head down. As he passed pitching coach Pete Walker, the right-hander stopped at a water cooler for a drink before standing alone, likely in deep contemplation. Scherzer’s performance on Sunday was far from impressive, as he was removed in the third inning after conceding eight runs. The Toronto Blue Jays ultimately fell to the Minnesota Twins, suffering an 8-2 loss in front of a crowd of 37,804 fans.
This defeat marked a disappointing homestand for the Blue Jays, who managed only two victories in six games while being outscored 40-23 during that span. The defending American League champions are currently facing a challenging period, compounded by injuries, as designated hitter George Springer was placed on the injured list earlier in the day due to a left great toe fracture. With Springer becoming the tenth player on the injured list, the team is grappling with significant roster challenges.
Injuries aren't the only issue plaguing the Blue Jays; there’s also a troubling level of ineffectiveness among the pitchers. This was clearly evident during their three-game series against the Twins, where the starting pitchers Patrick Corbin, Eric Lauer, and Scherzer allowed a staggering 19 earned runs over just 11.2 innings. While the Blue Jays managed to overcome Corbin’s poor outing in Friday's victory, the ineffective performances from the rotation left the team in dire situations during both Saturday and Sunday’s games.
Fortunately for the Blue Jays, right-handers Trey Yesavage and Jose Berrios are showing signs of progress toward their return. However, as the team heads into a nine-game road trip that includes stops in Milwaukee, Arizona, and Anaheim, there’s an urgent need for the current starting staff to raise their performance level. The pressure is mounting on the rotation as they aim to provide more stability moving forward.
Prior to Sunday’s game, Scherzer had come off a two-inning performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he exited due to right forearm tendinitis. An MRI conducted between starts cleared him of any ligament issues, allowing him to take the mound against a Twins lineup featuring five left-handed hitters and three switch-hitters. In the first inning, Scherzer reached a velocity of 94.1 mph with his fastball, achieving two flyouts and ending the inning with a strikeout. However, his troubles began in the second inning when he lost his command, walking Josh Bell and hitting Matt Wallner, ultimately giving up a three-run homer to Tristan Gray, who capitalized on an 0-1 cutter left in the strike zone.
As Scherzer took the mound in the third inning, he was unable to recover. Kody Clemens led off with a 417-foot homer to right-center field. Following that, the Twins assembled a string of hits, including singles and a walk, that culminated in a sac fly. Scherzer was pulled from the game in favor of Joe Mantiply, who faced immediate challenges by hitting the first batter and then allowing a bases-loaded double to Brooks Lee, contributing to a five-run inning.
In total, Scherzer's outing resulted in eight runs being charged to him, allowing five hits, two walks, and achieving three strikeouts over 68 pitches, with 41 of those being strikes. The combination of injuries and poor pitching has placed the Blue Jays in a precarious position as they try to regain their competitive footing.
