Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer will be the Game 4 starter of the American League Championship Series for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Seattle Mariners.Scherzer was activated after being left off the roster for the divisional series against the New York Yankees and is scheduled to make his 31st appearance and his 26th postseason start. The 41-year-old right-handed pitcher is 0-3 in his last eight postseason starts since the start of the 2019 World Series and was 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA in his last six starts of the 2025 season.Manager John Schneider said Sunday that a neck injury limited Scherzer at the end of the season and that he is in better physical shape than a month ago. Opting to use the eight-time All-Star as a starter stemmed from wanting to keep Scherzer’s routine consistent.
Scherzer, an eight-time All-Star, went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts after agreeing to a one-year, $15.5 million contract. He did not pitch between March 29 and June 25 due to inflammation in his right thumb.I’ve talked about him preparing all year. So I think keeping things normal for him. Going back to you wanting to see normalcy. So you trust that he’ll be prepared and go out there and give it everything he’s got and, hopefully, rise to the occasion of a big moment. He’s a Hall of Famer for a reason. So you feel good about handing him the ball and watching him work.
John Schneider
