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Uphill battle continues for Blue Jays’ dwindling rotation depth
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Photo credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Thomas Hall
Apr 27, 2026, 19:15 EDTUpdated: Apr 27, 2026, 19:06 EDT
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TORONTO — Just as the Blue Jays’ rotation is getting healthier, down goes another arm.
Hours before Monday’s series opener against the Boston Red Sox, the club announced that another starting pitcher was headed to the injured list: Max Scherzer. It was the 41-year-old’s turn to fall ill to the injury bug that has ravaged this roster ever since the start of spring training.
Surprisingly, Scherzer’s right forearm tendinitis — which he’d been dealing with since his second start of the season versus the Los Angeles Dodgers — isn’t the primary culprit that ultimately landed him on the 15-day IL prior to first pitch. Instead, it was a “double whammy,” as he described, between that issue and his more pressing left ankle inflammation.
“Maybe you can picture one of these,” he said, “but I’m not in the best spot to probably pitch with both of them. So this is a point in time where it’s smart to take the rest, take the week, and come back.”
The plan is for Scherzer to remain shut down from throwing for 5-7 days to let his body heal before reassessing his next steps. He won’t require any anti-inflammatory injections or anything for the time being. The best-case scenario is for the future Hall-of-Fame pitcher to ramp back up after sitting idle for a week or less.
Nothing is structurally damaged in either his forearm or ankle, and that’s certainly the best news that the Blue Jays could hope for in this case. However, they’re now down to just four starters again after already having exhausted multiple layers of rotation depth just over a month into the 2026 campaign.
“Your body will tell you how fast you can ramp up,” Scherzer said. “And whether it’s fast or slow remains to be seen. But I just got to get these little injuries out of the way. It’s nothing major, fortunately. When I can get back out there, I’ll get back out there as soon as possible.”
After being tagged for seven runs (all earned) on six hits — including three home runs — and three walks without registering a strikeout, leaving him one shy of entering the prestigious 3,500 club (whose membership list is only 10 pitchers deep), Scherzer and pitching coach Pete Walker headed into the film room in hopes of discovering a solution to get the three-time Cy Young winner back on track — only they discovered something else.
That’s when the two of them pored over video evidence of the problem at hand.
Due to Scherzer’s left ankle soreness, which has progressively worsened since his first regular-season start and actually caused him to fall out of his bed the morning after his start against the Minnesota Twins two weeks ago, he was unknowingly altering his pitching mechanics.
The issue, in particular, was seen each time he came down the mound. He had been compensating in an effort to protect that landing foot, throwing each pitch from more of an upright position rather than having his upper half slightly rotated towards third base, preventing him from rotating properly.
It’s an issue Scherzer attempted to correct during a recent side session. But he quickly thought better of that idea, feeling he’d risk further injury if he continued.
“I could just tell I wasn’t right. Pete was right there and we both saw it,” Scherzer said. “We just didn’t feel I was in a good enough spot to go forward. Based on the calendar, here in April, it’s early in the season and this is just a point in time where I can get right.”
Now that Scherzer won’t be available to make his next start, the Blue Jays are forced into scramble mode again. Trey Yesavage will make his season debut on Tuesday, the middle contest of this divisional three-game set. But the team is currently listing Wednesday’s starter as “TBD,” according to manager John Schneider.
Toronto’s skipper is holding off on making any official announcements to keep everyone available in the bullpen for the first two games against Boston. If recently demoted Eric Lauer — who was previously announced as the corresponding move ahead of Yesavage’s return — isn’t needed for length Monday or Tuesday, the versatile southpaw could potentially slide back into the rotation or operate as the bulk option out of the ‘pen.
Elsewhere in the organization, traditional starting options have become scarce, though the likes of Chad Dallas and Grant Rogers could receive call-up consideration. Additionally, Adam Macko (already on the 40-man roster) could offer bulk innings, as could a veteran group that includes Austin Voth, Josh Fleming, Yariel Rodríguez and Michael Plassmeyer.
The long-term solution, however, may ultimately prove to be José Berríos. The recovering righty is slated to throw 70-75 pitches in his first Triple-A rehab start on Tuesday, and if all goes well there, his next appearance could be back with the Blue Jays.
That would put Berríos on track to assume Scherzer’s vacated rotation spot when it comes around a second time on May 4 in Tampa Bay versus the Rays. If he pitches well, it might become his, permanently, moving forward.

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