{"id":587288,"date":"2026-04-07T04:19:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T04:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/587288\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T04:19:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T04:19:08","slug":"blue-jays-max-scherzer-pulled-after-just-two-innings-against-dodgers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/587288\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Jays Max Scherzer pulled after just two innings against Dodgers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"breadcrumbs__item-link\" data-tb-category-link=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/torontosun.com\/category\/sports\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sports<\/a><a class=\"breadcrumbs__item-link\" data-tb-category-link=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/torontosun.com\/category\/sports\/baseball\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Baseball<\/a><a class=\"breadcrumbs__item-link\" data-tb-category-link=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/torontosun.com\/category\/sports\/baseball\/mlb\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">MLB<\/a><a class=\"breadcrumbs__item-link\" data-tb-category-link=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/torontosun.com\/category\/sports\/baseball\/toronto-blue-jays\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Toronto Blue Jays<\/a> Get the latest from Rob Longley straight to your inbox Sign Up   <\/p>\n<p>Published Apr 06, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 2 minute read<\/p>\n<p><a aria-label=\"Join the conversation\" class=\"article-meta-comment-count\" data-story-comment-component=\"\" href=\"#comments-area\">   <\/a><\/p>\n<p>You can save this article by registering for free <a class=\"bookmark-link\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\" href=\"http:\/\/torontosun.com\/register\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. Or <a class=\"bookmark-link\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\" href=\"http:\/\/torontosun.com\/sign-in\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Jays pitcher Max Scherzer.\" class=\"featured-image__image type:primaryImage\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Scherzer.jpg\"  decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"750\" width=\"1000\"\/>Jays pitcher Max Scherzer. Photo by Nathan Dennette \/The Canadian PressArticle content<\/p>\n<p>Another day, another potential blow for the embattled Blue Jays starting rotation.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement 2<\/p>\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Toronto Sun\" class=\"market-logo\" height=\"37\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.9.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\" width=\"280\"\/><\/p>\n<p>THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<p>Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n<p>SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<p>Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n<p>REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<p>Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n<p>THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<p>Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Veteran Max Scherzer, making just his second start of the season for the reigning World Series champs, was pulled from his start on Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers after just two innings of work.<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t the flu bug that has been ravaging many on the team, either, as it was later revealed that the 41-year-old was suffering from forearm tendinitis.<\/p>\n<p>While manager John Schneider and Scherzer himself worked to paint that as a positive, for a rotation hanging on by a thread it\u2019s a precarious spot to be.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGiven the state of our team and our pitching staff, those were explicit, explicit instructions: You cannot hurt yourself,\u201d Scherzer said by way of explanation following an outing in which he threw just 36 pitches and the velocity on his fastball had dipped noticeably. \u201cYou can\u2019t take any undue risk. So it\u2019s much better to be talking after the start about forearm tendonitis vs. forearm strain. That\u2019s where my head was at.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"opening envelope\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.9.1\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/icon-sun-middaySun.svg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page\">Your noon-hour look at what&#8217;s happening in Toronto and beyond.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__disclaimer__new-story-page text-size--tiny\">By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page\">A welcome email is on its way. If you don&#8217;t see it, please check your junk folder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page newsletter__feedback--last\">The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page js-submit-error\" hidden=\"\" id=\"submitErrorTORSUN_YourMiddaySun\" style=\"margin-top:8px\">We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement 3<\/p>\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>When Scherzer exited though, the Jays were all but doomed.<\/p>\n<p>In his place, lefty Josh Fleming came on in relief to pitch the inning as murmurs spread throughout the Rogers Centre wondering what happened to the 41-year-old right hander, who had made just 36 pitches, including a two-run homer to former Jays star Teoscar Hernandez in the first inning.<\/p>\n<p>Scherzer said that the issue emerged following his first start of the season against the Rockies, but in consultation with staff, he felt he could pitch through it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not a long-term concern here,\u201d Scherzer said. \u201cI had an issue. (It) just prevented me from making a full start.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Schneider said he appreciated the honesty from his starter after the issue emerged in recent days. At most, Scherzer would have gone three innings or a pitch count of about 50 on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Advertisement 4<\/p>\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe positive is (the forearm) didn\u2019t feel any worse,\u201d Schneider said. \u201cWith\u00a0where we\u2019re at right now with our rotation, we\u2019re going to be extra careful and Max is brutally honest. That\u2019s one of his great qualities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m fairly to quite confident he\u2019ll make his next start. And that was the thinking of taking him (out.)\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As both Scherzer and Schneider noted, the team cannot withstand another injury setback from its starters. The Jays rotation is already without Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios and Cody Ponce \u2013 all either injured or recovering from injury.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, it wasn\u2019t exactly an ideal spot for Fleming to enter the game to face Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who proceeded to single and then advance to second on an errant throw from the likely nervous Toronto pitcher.<\/p>\n<p>Late in the inning, Fleming allowed a two-run homer to Dodgers all star first baseman, Freddie Freeman to increase the Dodgers lead to 4-1.\u00a0 By the time the inning was done, Fleming had thrown 33 pitches and allowed three hits and the two runs on the Freeman blast, though he wasn\u2019t helped by an error from third baseman Kazuma Okamoto as the sloppy Jays defensive play continued.<\/p>\n<p>The journeyman lefty was summoned from Buffalo and activated for Monday\u2019s game, the first of three against the World Series champs.<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Breadcrumb Trail Links SportsBaseballMLBToronto Blue Jays Get the latest from Rob Longley straight to your inbox Sign Up&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":587289,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[43,44,41,39,42,40],"class_list":{"0":"post-587288","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-headlines","9":"tag-news","10":"tag-top-news","11":"tag-top-stories","12":"tag-topnews","13":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=587288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/587289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=587288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=587288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=587288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}