TORONTO — Pitcher Max Scherzer’s second start at Rogers Centre this season was far more successful than this first.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner pitched five strong innings on Monday night as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 5-4. Scherzer struck out seven while allowing three hits and two runs on 71 pitches.
He also did not walk a batter, and his fastball topped out at over 95 miles-per-hour.
“I thought I was on the ball better today,” said Scherzer post-game. “I kind of made a little adjustment in-between starts and I felt like it got me in and really started dialing in pitches.”
Scherzer was forced to leave his first start with the Blue Jays on March 29 after just 41 pitches due to a thumb issue, spending the next three months on the Injured List. Monday was just his third start of the season.
“I felt like I had a good fastball tonight,” he said, crediting the pitch for his success against a vaunted Yankees lineup.
“I was able to pitch with that and set up every other pitch and it allowed me to kind of navigate their lineup a little bit when I was in there. So, there’s a lot of good.”
This version of Scherzer appears to be the version the Blue Jays were expecting when they signed him to a one-year contract worth $15.5 million.
“It was evident with the way he started the game, that, yeah, that’s the best version of Max that we’ve seen” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider following the game.
“That’s who he is,” said Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. “He’s the type of person who comes here early every day, always focuses on the game, and gives you everything he’s got.”
Scherzer’s return has come at an opportune time for the Blue Jays.
With the club in the thick of a divisional race, Monday’s victory leaves the Blue Jays just two games back of the Yankees for the American League East lead.
The Blue Jays have gone 30-18 since May 8, earning the third-best winning percentage in the majors during that span while also ranking top-10 in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and OPS.
“Everybody’s been doing their job,” said Guerrero Jr. “Just helping each other. And we trust in each other a lot. So, we’ve been playing great as a team.”
It was a total team effort for the Blue Jays on Monday.
Guerrero Jr. drove home three runs with a single and double, while second baseman Davis Schneider finished 2-for-3 with a double and shortstop Ernie Clement went 2-for-5 with one RBI.
With the lead down to one in the bottom of the ninth, closer Jeff Hoffman entered the game and pitched a scoreless frame to secure the victory and earn his 19th save of the year, ranking him third among American League pitchers.
“It felt like a very meaningful baseball game,” said Schneider. “It is June. It’ll be July tomorrow (Tuesday), and tomorrow’s a big day for us as a team and as a country. I’m sure it’ll be fun again tomorrow.”
UP NEXT
Right-hander Kevin Gausman (6-6) starts for the Jays on Canada Day, while the visiting Yankees will hand the ball to left-hander Max Fried (10-2).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2025.
Mike Stephens, The Canadian Press