It was March 29th when Max Scherzer made his first Toronto Blue Jays start. The Baltimore Orioles were in town to kick off the weekend series, and the veteran right-hander was looking to give the Jays a 2-1 record early in the campaign. What followed was two home runs, three hits, and one strikeout before Scherzer was lifted due to a thumb injury, which would cause him to miss almost three months.

With the Orioles back in town, Scherzer is looking for redemption after his first start was cut short due to injury.

This season, the veteran right-hander has compiled a 4.36 ERA and a 4.94 FIP through 74 1/3 innings. He owns a 2.4 BB/9 and an 8.5 K/9 this year, striking out 70 batters through 14 innings so far. Lately, Scherzer has impressed even more, with the Jays winning five of his last seven starts while he has gone at least six innings in five of those outings as well.

The biggest hole in Scherzer’s game right now is the home runs, with 16 home runs allowed this campaign to the tune of a 1.9 HR/9. He’s allowed five homers through his last three starts and will look to turn the tide against an Orioles squad that hit two off of him back in March, albeit with a different roster this time around.

Heading to the mound for the Orioles is Tomoyuki Sugano, the Japanese right-hander who is finishing his first year in the big leagues.

Sugano has amassed a 4.51 ERA and a 1.343 WHIP through 27 starts and 143 2/3 innings of work, one of the lone Orioles starters this season to not find himself on the IL this year. His FIP is a bit elevated (5.13) thanks to the hits allowed (9.9 H/9) and his ability to give up the long ball (27 homers this season). Opponents have produced a .787 OPS and a .288 BABIP this year.

The right-hander works with a steady four-pitch mix – split-finger, four-seamer, sweeper, and sinker – and mixes in the occasional cutter and curveball to keep hitters off balance. His numbers are all in the blue except for his walk rate, which sits at 5.5% (89th percentile). His best pitch this season has been the sweeper (+5 pitching run value) that has lept hitters to a tidy .246 xBA but his split-finger has also fared well with a +3 run value and a .256 xBA.

Location: Rogers Centre – Toronto, Ontario

First Pitch: 3:07 PM EST

Watch/Listen: Sportsnet / Sportsnet 590 The Fan

Toronto Blue Jays – Max Scherzer: 5-3 record, 4.36 ERA, 74  1/3 IP, 70 SO, 20 BB

Baltimore Orioles – Tomoyuki Sugano: 10-8 record, 4.51 ERA, 143 2/3 IP, 96 SO, 35 BB