Max Scherzer to come off IL, start on 42nd birthday
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer will come off the injured list and start Monday night against the Washington Nationals on his 42nd birthday, manager John Schneider said. The start will be Scherzer’s seventh of the season after he recovered from back spasms and a thumb injury that sidelined him since mid-June.
Key Takeaways
- Max Scherzer will be activated and start Monday vs. the Nationals on his 42nd birthday.
- The outing is his seventh start of 2026 after mid-June IL time for back spasms and a thumb injury.
- His Triple-A rehab in Buffalo featured seven strikeouts and 56 pitches; his pitch count may be limited.
- Scherzer is 1-4 with a career-worst 10.23 ERA over 22 major-league innings this season.
- He spent seven seasons in Washington and last pitched there in 2023.
When does Max Scherzer return for the Blue Jays?
According to Yahoo Sports, Scherzer will come off the IL and open Toronto’s series in Washington on Monday night—the same day he turns 42. It will mark just his seventh start of the year after an on-and-off IL stretch.
Schneider told reporters Sunday he was comfortable with the move after talking through Scherzer’s physical status and his recovery from the Buffalo rehab outing. “Maybe a little bit limited in pitch count, but I think he kind of checked all the boxes,” Schneider said, via The Associated Press.
How did Max Scherzer look in his rehab start?
In his most recent Triple-A outing with the Buffalo Bisons on Wednesday, Scherzer struck out seven and threw 56 pitches. Sportsnet reported that start covered five scoreless innings, and that a standard progression would put him near roughly 70 pitches next time.
Speaking Friday at Fenway Park after a bullpen session, Scherzer told Sportsnet and The Athletic he felt ready for the majors. “I’m in a good spot throwing the ball,” he said. “The ball’s coming out of my hand the way it needs to. So I’m looking to pitch here, in the big leagues.”
He last pitched in the majors on June 10. Cortisone injections helped his thumb, and he said he now feels much improved.
Why does the Nationals start matter for Max Scherzer?
Monday’s matchup is a homecoming of sorts. Scherzer spent seven seasons with Washington—the longest stint of his career—and won one of his two World Series rings there. He has not pitched in Washington since the 2023 season.
He is in his 19th MLB season and his second with Toronto, where he helped the Blue Jays reach the World Series last year before they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers. This season he owns a 1-4 record and a career-worst 10.23 ERA across 22 innings, per Yahoo Sports.
Toronto entered the week at 48-58 and last in the AL East after a 6-1 loss to Boston on Sunday—their seventh defeat in 10 games since the All-Star break. For more celebrity breaking news, follow BlasterPost’s latest coverage.
Is Max Scherzer talking trade deadline rumors?
With the Aug. 3 trade deadline approaching and Scherzer holding a no-trade clause, speculation has swirled about his future. He waved off the chatter Friday, calling outside distractions “pointless” until the front office makes a decision. “Our job is to come here, show up and win the ballgame,” he said. “We need to go 1-0 today.”
For now, that job starts Monday—on his birthday—against his former club.