Mad Max’s road back to the majors has begun.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer made a rehab start for high-A affiliate Vancouver Canadians on Friday afternoon, throwing 49 pitches (33 strikes) across three innings. He allowed three hits and two earned runs, striking out three batters and walking a pair.
Scherzer’s appearance on the West Coast comes as the Jays hit Seattle for a three-game set against the Mariners. Though the 41-year-old will rejoin the team on Saturday, he won’t necessarily be ready to get back into the rotation.
Ahead of his Canadians cameo, Toronto manager John Schneider told Sportnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith that he would “most likely need a couple starts” before he was ready to rejoin the big leagues. With one under his belt, the next step in his recovery should be made clear over the weekend when he reunites with the Jays in Seattle.
Scherzer hasn’t pitched for the big club since June 10 when he threw 3.1 innings in a 7-4 loss to the Phillies. Ahead of his next scheduled start, June 17 in Boston, he was pulled from the rotation and placed on the 15-day injured list.
In his abbreviated second season in Toronto, the three-time Cy Young winner is 1-4 with a 10.23 ERA across six starts.