Max Scherzer returns as Blue Jays bid for series win vs. Guardians

The long wait is over for Toronto Blue Jays fans.

After spending three months on the injured list with right thumb inflammation, Max Scherzer will return to action Wednesday night against the Guardians in Cleveland.

Scherzer (0-0, 6.00 ERA) has made only one appearance since signing as a free agent with Toronto in the offseason, going three innings and allowing two runs and three hits against Baltimore on March 29.

The Guardians will send fellow right-hander Gavin Williams (5-3, 3.58 ERA) to the mound against the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer, who declined to speak with the media in Cleveland.

“Max is ready to go, and I’m really, really excited to have him back,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “The thumb is a thing, a real thing, but getting to 75 pitches in his last start was a good thing.”

Scherzer made two rehab starts with Triple-A Buffalo, compiling a 2.08 ERA over 8 2/3 innings and 131 pitches. He struck out 12, walked two and held opponents to a .167 batting average.

“We’ll just have to monitor it as we go, but he knows his stuff is where it should be,” Schneider said, indicating that Scherzer is unlikely to surpass 80 pitches in his return.

Scherzer was limited to nine appearances with Texas last season, going 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA. The 18-year veteran is 216-112 with a 3.16 ERA in his career, including a 9-5 record and 4.05 ERA in 21 appearances (all starts) against Cleveland.

“That’s a huge, huge addition for us,” Schneider said. “That’s Max Scherzer. I’ll take that any day of the week.”

Williams will be a formidable foe as he looks to wrap up the best month of his three big-league seasons. Nicknamed the Big Rig, the 6-foot-6, 250-pounder has a 1.99 ERA over four starts in June, with a 1-0 record.

In two career appearances against the Blue Jays, both no-decisions, Williams has struck out 21 over 11 innings and owns a 1.64 ERA.

Toronto on Tuesday won the opener of a three-game series 10-6, fueled by a George Springer grand slam and two RBIs apiece from Jonatan Clase and Alejandro Kirk. The Blue Jays totaled 14 hits off five Cleveland pitchers.

“They’ve got a lot of good guys, a lot of guys that can hit for power, and they put a lot of pressure on you,” said Guardians left-hander Logan Allen, who permitted three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings and took the loss. “I feel like I’ve done decent against them, but all in all, it’s a tough lineup.”

Both bullpens were poor, with Toronto giving up five runs in the final three innings and Cleveland allowing six after the sixth.

Lane Thomas hit a three-run homer for the second straight home game and Carlos Santana and Kyle Manzardo had solo blasts for the Guardians, who played their previous nine games on the West Coast.

“That was my first 11-day, East-to-West Coast trip, and it was a beast,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “We came out sluggish tonight. I don’t want to make excuses, but we just didn’t look like ourselves.”

–Field Level Media