Max Scherzer threw three scoreless innings for the Buffalo Bisons on a rehab assignment Sunday. Scherzer struck out four and walked two. Threw 41 pitches, 24 for strikes. His fastball averaged 93.3-mph and he got four of his seven whiffs with his slider.
Blue Jays injury news: Max Scherzer throws three shutout innings in first rehab start
Photo credit: © Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Jun 1, 2026, 07:00 EDTUpdated: May 31, 2026, 20:49 EDT
On Sunday afternoon, Toronto Blue Jays’ right-hander Max Scherzer took a big step on his way to returning to the big leagues.
Scherzer made his first rehab start as he works his way back from the 15-day injured list after dealing with both right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation. Scherzer’s last big league appearance came April 24, when the righty lasted only 2.1 innings in an 8-6 loss against the Cleveland Guardians.
Appearing with Triple-A Buffalo, Scherzer dazzled over his three innings against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The 41-year-old tossed three hitless frames, allowing two walks and striking out four before being removed after tossing 41 pitches. Scherzer finished his first rehab outing with a pitching line of 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K.
Scherzer’s first inning was clinical, striking out St. Louis Cardinals’ 2016 first-round pick Dylan Carlson on three pitches, getting Félix Reyes on a first-pitch flyout, and retiring Gabriel Rincones Jr. on a groundout to first baseman Riley Tirotta on an 89.6 MPH slider.
The right-hander opened the second inning with a strikeout of Otto Kemp before issuing back-to-back free passes to set up runners on first and second with only one out. With trouble looming, Scherzer buckled down and retired Bryan De La Cruz on a 1-4-3 double play, fielding his position against De La Cruz, who hit 21 home runs during the 2024 season with both the Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Scherzer returned for the third inning and made quick work of the IronPigs. He struck out Caleb Ricketts on an 86.6 MPH slider, got Robert Moore to fly out to left field on a 92.8 MPH fastball, and capped off his afternoon by once again striking out Carlson, this time on an 85.2 MPH changeup.
The 41-pitch outing was an impressive showing by Scherzer, who averaged 93.3 MPH on his fastball, right around his average of 93 MPH from his five MLB starts this season. In his five starts this year with the Blue Jays, Scherzer is 1-3 with a 9.64 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. Scherzer has struggled to miss bats this season, allowing a .297 average against, and striking out only 10 batters across his 18.2 innings pitched.
Currently, the Blue Jays and manager John Schneider are working with two bullpen days across their five rotation spots as injuries have mounted early on. While at least one more rehab start feels likely, Scherzer’s return will be a welcoming sight to a rotation that is getting desperate for healthy arms.
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