Max Scherzer returns to the mound where the right-hander became a star in the finale of a four-game series between the Toronto Blue Jays and host Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon.
The American League East-leading Blue Jays have won four straight games and eight of nine since the All-Star break, while the AL Central-topping Tigers have dropped six straight and 12 of their last 13.
Scherzer’s career took off when he was traded from Arizona to Detroit before the 2010 season. He posted an 82-35 record in five seasons with the Tigers and won the Cy Young Award there in 2013 – the first of three in the eight-time All-Star’s well-traveled career.
Right now, the 41-year-old Scherzer is just trying to get back into a groove after recovering from a thumb injury which sidelined him for nearly three months.
Scherzer (1-0, 5.14 ERA) hasn’t thrown more than 90 pitches in five starts since coming off the injured list. In his last outing on Tuesday, he gave up four runs in five innings against the New York Yankees. He wound up with a no-decision in a 5-4 loss.
“This is the major leagues; you either win or you don’t. That’s just how I operate,” Scherzer said. “I take accountability for that. Saying that, our team fought hard. We were down, and we fought our way back into that ballgame. Guys are competing all across the diamond offensively and defensively.”
The Blue Jays were down 4-1 when he departed but tied the score before the Yankees pushed across the winning run in the ninth.
“I thought Max threw well, and I thought his stuff was really good,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “I wish he had a few more pitches to keep going there, but I think that 90 with the score where it was, that’s good for the night.”
Scherzer will be making his 80th career start at Detroit’s Comerica Park. He’s 47-14 with a 3.37 ERA when at the Tigers’ home park.
His most recent start in Detroit didn’t go so well. As a member of the New York Mets on May 3, 2023, Scherzer gave up six runs and eight hits – including two home runs — in 3 1/3 innings and took the loss in an 8-1 Tigers victory. Overall, Scherzer is 2-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 25 1/3 innings over four career starts against the Tigers.
Right-hander Jack Flaherty (5-10, 4.77), Detroit’s scheduled starter, will be seeking his first win since June 8. He’s 0-4 with three no-decisions in his last seven outings.
Flaherty was pulled after just three innings and 78 pitches on Monday. He gave up three runs on six hits and walked three in a 3-0 loss at Pittsburgh.
“I was in some good counts and the at-bats got long,” he said. “Then a couple of walks get sprinkled in there, which has been the theme when the pitch count starts to go up quickly. It was a weird one.”
What made it even more baffling for Flaherty was that he had six strikeouts along the way.
“I was getting to two strikes and then let them stick around too long. Or I would fall behind and have to make a pitch,” he said. “I have to really look at it. It’s not a stuff thing. My stuff was actually really good.”
Flaherty is 4-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 28 2/3 innings over five career starts against Toronto.
The Blue Jays have won the first three games of the current series by a combined score of 23-7.
–Field Level Media
