ANAHEIM, Calif. – Max Scherzer made significant progress in his recovery from a right thumb injury on Wednesday, throwing to hitters for the first time since being placed on the injured list in March.
I thought his material was really good.
John Schneider, Blue Jays manager
Scherzer, who signed a one-year, $15.5 million contract with Toronto in February, threw 20 pitches. Manager John Schneider indicated that, barring any setbacks, Scherzer will repeat the workout, but with more pitches, over the weekend.
I felt good. I’ve already gotten rid of all the inflammation, so I can finally grab the ball again and not blow out my shoulder. But I’m not going to celebrate this until I’m back starting in a Major League game.
Max Scherzer
The pitcher underwent two cortisone injections to alleviate inflammation in his thumb this season. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list earlier this week and is not eligible to be activated until May 29.
Scherzer went 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA in nine starts for Texas last season, beginning the year on the injured list while recovering from surgery on his lower back. The pitcher said Tuesday that his troublesome right thumb, which also impacted his 2022 and 2023 seasons, was a major issue in 2024.
This is what took me out in 2023, and (I had it) all last year. It wasn’t so much the back injury, it was this thumb injury that gave me all the problems in the world. I thought I had addressed it. I thought I had done all the grip strength work, but I got to spring training and it popped back up.
Max Scherzer
Scherzer left his first start with the Blue Jays against Baltimore on March 29 after three innings due to pain in his right latissimus dorsi muscle. He said after the game that the thumb issue was the culprit for that pain.
