Manager John Schneider announced Monday that Dylan Cease will start Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies, while Max Scherzer will start on Wednesday.
The Blue Jays have been operating with a three-man rotation and multiple bullpen days in recent weeks while Cease, Scherzer and Shane Bieber work their way back.
Cease suffered a hamstring injury in a start on May 24. He pitched one rehab outing with triple-A Buffalo last week, and struggled, allowing five runs — including two home runs — in four innings.
In 11 starts for the Blue Jays, Cease has a 3-3 record with a 3.05 ERA and 92 strikeouts.
Scherzer, meanwhile, has only made five starts for the Blue Jays this season with his last one coming on April 24. At the time he was shut down, he was dealing with right forearm tendinitis but he also took time during his IL stint to recover from left ankle inflammation.
The 41-year-old made two rehab starts with Buffalo, including striking out five in 3.2 innings last Friday.
“Good outing to get all pitches going, get attacking, sequencing, all the things. Get in some jams, pitch out of the stretch,” Scherzer said after the outing. “So kind of got a little bit of everything out of this start today. Felt like my body really responded well. My arm felt great.”
Scherzer is one strikeout away from becoming the 11th pitcher in MLB history to record 3,500 punchouts.
To fit Cease and Scherzer into the rotation, Trey Yesavage will be pushed back and make his next start Friday against the New York Yankees. Rookie Spencer Miles, who was stretched out to cover innings in recent weeks, will return to a bullpen role.