Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Scherzer (thumb/back) threw a 33-pitch bullpen session Tuesday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Scherzer had to have a scheduled bullpen session last week scrapped due to back tightness, but he was able to throw Tuesday without issue. The veteran righty has been out nearly all season with right thumb inflammation. Scherzer will need 1-to-2 more bullpen sessions before progressing to facing hitters, so he is still several weeks away from a possible return.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Slowed by back tightness
Rotowire
Scherzer (thumb) was unable to throw as scheduled Tuesday because of back tightness following his last bullpen session, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
The Blue Jays are hopeful Scherzer will be ready to throw at some point later this week. While the back tightness does not seem to be a significant setback, it will delay Scherzer a bit just as he was getting ramped back up from his right thumb inflammation. The 40-year-old isn't eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until May 29, and he probably won't be ready by then, anyway.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Beginning to ramp up
Rotowire
Scherzer (thumb) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and then faced live hitters for 20 more pitches, Andres Soto of MLB.com reports.
The 40-year-old right-hander has been dealing with thumb issues on his throwing hand since making his season debut March 29, but after receiving multiple cortisone shots in the digit, he appears to be making progress. "Good, really good," manager John Schneider said after Scherzer's session off the game mound at Angel Stadium. "Twenty pitches after he threw in the 'pen. And then I thought standing back there, his stuff was really good... So that's a really good step in the right direction." The Blue Jays will wait and see how Scherzer bounces back before determining the next step in his rehab, but tentative plans call for him to get stretched out a little more in another session against live hitters this weekend in Seattle. The earliest Scherzer would be eligible to come off the 60-day IL is May 29, but a June return appears more likely as Toronto won't want to rush him back into the rotation.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Set to face live hitters
Rotowire
Scherzer (thumb) is in line to face live batters Wednesday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Scherzer is progressing in his recovery from right thumb inflammation that landed him on the 15-day injured list in late March. He'll continue to build up his workload and pitch count, and how his thumb responds following Wednesday's session will give the Blue Jays a better sense of when the veteran right-hander can return.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Shifted to 60-day injured list
Rotowire
The Blue Jays transferred Scherzer (thumb) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
The move frees a spot on the 40-man roster and means Scherzer now isn't eligible to return until May 29. Scherzer has been throwing off a mound and seems to be trending up as he works his way back from right thumb inflammation, but he still has multiple checkpoints to reach in his recovery process.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Throws another bullpen session
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Scherzer (thumb) threw another bullpen session Wednesday that went "fairly well," Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Schneider said that Scherzer is "definitely making progress," adding that "the feedback has been a lot better" during the 40-year-old's last two bullpen sessions. Scherzer will throw off a mound again Thursday or Friday and, if that goes well, he could begin a more structured ramp-up schedule as he eyes a return to the Toronto rotation.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Progressing in throwing program
Rotowire
Scherzer (thumb) threw a bullpen session Friday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Scherzer tossed 27 pitches off the mound Friday, and Blue Jays manager John Schneider said it was a "step in the right direction" for the veteran right-hander. Scherzer will continue to throw bullpen sessions as he works his way back from a right thumb injury, but a timeline for his return to Toronto's rotation won't be clear until he embarks on a rehab assignment.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Plays catch Monday
Rotowire
Scherzer (thumb) played catch in the outfield at Daikin Park prior to Monday's game versus the Astros, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker said afterward that Scherzer felt the session went "OK." The right-hander was throwing for the first time since receiving a second cortisone injection in his injured right thumb last week. Scherzer's timetable to rejoin the Blue Jays' rotation remains very much up in the air.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Could play catch next week
Rotowire
Scherzer (thumb) is hoping to begin playing catch early next week, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
The veteran right-hander received another cortisone injection in his troublesome thumb this week, and he'll join the Blue Jays on Monday to get checked on by the team's trainers. If he avoids any further setbacks, Scherzer could potentially come off the IL in mid-May, but first he'll need to show he can last more than 50 or so pitches in an outing without the digit becoming an issue again.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Gets another cortisone injection
Rotowire
Scherzer will take a couple days off from throwing after receiving another cortisone injection in his injured right thumb, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Scherzer felt renewed soreness after the first injection and it was recommended he get another shot for the thumb after he visited with a hand specialist Wednesday. He is expected to resume throwing Monday or Tuesday. A timetable for Scherzer's return won't be available until he's able to ramp up his throwing and is pain-free.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Resumes throwing, checkup on tap
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Scherzer (thumb) is scheduled to meet with a doctor Wednesday after throwing on consecutive days, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Scherzer experienced renewed soreness in his thumb after throwing late last week, but after a brief shutdown, the right-hander was able to start playing catch again. He'll get a checkup Wednesday from a different hand specialist than the one he had been meeting with previously with the hope that he's cleared to ramp up the intensity and volume of his throwing. Easton Lucas should continue to hold down a spot in the rotation until Scherzer is able to return from the injured list, perhaps in late April or early May if he incurs no further setbacks in the recovery process.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Visiting doctor after more soreness
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Monday that Scherzer will visit with a doctor again in the coming days due to nagging soreness in his injured right thumb after throwing recently, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Scherzer received a pair of cortisone injections in the thumb earlier this month but still can't seem to get over the hump with the injury. It's uncertain what the next course of action will be, but that should become clearer after Scherzer's visit with the doctor. There is no timetable for the 40-year-old's return.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Resumes throwing
Rotowire
Scherzer resumed playing catch Monday but said that he's still experiencing "lingering tightness" from the cortisone shot he received in his injured right thumb, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
Scherzer is working his way back from thumb inflammation, an issue that first surfaced in spring training before he suffered an aggravation March 29 in his season debut. Monday marked the first time he threw since receiving two cortisone shots in his thumb last week, but he'll need more time to recover before his next throwing session. The Blue Jays have yet to provide a definitive timeline for Scherzer's return.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Will not play catch Friday
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Scherzer (thumb) will not play catch Friday but hopes to at some point during the team's upcoming road trip, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Friday had been deemed the first day Scherzer could potentially resume throwing after he was given cortisone injections in his injured right thumb. This isn't viewed as a setback and the righty will continue to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis to determine when he's ready to begin a throwing program.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Could begin throwing Friday
Rotowire
Scherzer (thumb) doesn't have any structural issues with his thumb ligaments, and after receiving two cortisone shots Monday, he could resume throwing as soon as Friday, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports. "[The doctor] was actually pretty surprised, based on what it was, that structurally we were in a pretty good spot," Scherzer said Tuesday.
The 40-year-old right-hander lasted only three innings and 45 pitches during his Blue Jays debut Saturday and was subsequently placed on the 15-day IL, but Scherzer's stay on the shelf could end up being close to minimum length if the cortisone shots have the desired effect. In the meantime, Easton Lucas will slot in for a spot start Wednesday, but Toronto's rotation plans after that are unclear.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Gets cortisone injection in thumb
Rotowire
Scherzer has been given a cortisone injection in his injured right thumb, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The hope is that the injection will help reduce inflammation and discomfort in the thumb. Scherzer was placed on the 15-day injured list over the weekend, and when he will resume throwing will be determined based on how the thumb responds to rest and the injection.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Heads to IL with thumb issue
Rotowire
The Blue Jays placed Scherzer on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to right thumb inflammation.
Per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca, Scherzer's early removal from his start Saturday against the Orioles was attributed to right lat soreness, but the veteran right-hander said after the outing that his exit was related to the thumb injury that had been troubling him since spring training. The Blue Jays apparently concurred with Scherzer's assessment and are now listing him solely with the thumb injury. He'll be shut down for at least two weeks in hopes that the extended rest will resolve the issue. Toronto recalled left-hander Easton Lucas from Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding move to offer some extra coverage in the bullpen, but Yariel Rodriguez figures to get the first crack at filling Scherzer's spot in the rotation.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Exits with lat soreness
Rotowire
Scherzer was removed from his start Saturday against the Orioles due to right lat soreness, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Scherzer had been hoping to reach around 80 pitches during his first start of the season, but he was forced out of the game after just 45 pitches across three innings of two-run ball. Although the team attributed his removal to a lat issue, the veteran righty said after the game that "this is 100 percent related to the thumb," per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. Scherzer's thumb has been an issue since spring training, and he added that he was in "imminent danger" of doing more damage to it if he were to go back out for the fourth inning. Scherzer and the team will likely want to make sure his thumb and lat are no longer issues before he makes his next start, which could mean a trip to the injured list is coming.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Exits with lat soreness
Rotowire
Scherzer was removed from his start Saturday against the Orioles due to right lat soreness, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Scherzer had been hoping to reach around 80 pitches during his first start of the season, but he was forced out of the game after just 45 pitches across three innings of two-run ball. Although the team attributed his removal to a lat issue, the veteran righty said after the game that "this is 100 percent related to the thumb," per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. Scherzer's thumb has been an issue since spring training, and he added that he was in "imminent danger" of doing more damage to it if he were to go back out for the fourth inning. Scherzer and the team will likely want to make sure his thumb and lat are no longer issues before he makes his next start, which could mean a trip to the injured list is coming.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: On track to start Saturday
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Wednesday that Scherzer (thumb) is "still going in the right direction," and the team expects him to be ready to start Saturday against the Orioles, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Scherzer dealt with a nagging right thumb injury this spring, but he's been trending in a positive direction of late and is in line to take his first turn in Toronto's rotation. He threw 62 pitches in his final Grapefruit League start, so Scherzer should be capable of throwing 80 or so Saturday as long as the thumb issue doesn't flare up again.
