TORONTO – Pitcher Max Scherzer’s second start at Rogers Centre this season was much more successful than this primary.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner pitched five strong innings on Monday night because the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Latest York Yankees 5-4. Scherzer struck out seven while allowing three hits and two runs on 71 pitches.
He also didn’t walk a batter, and his fastball topped out at over 95 miles-per-hour.
“I assumed I used to be on the ball higher today,” said Scherzer post-game. “I type of made a bit of adjustment in-between starts and I felt prefer it got me in and really began dialing in pitches.”
Scherzer was forced to go away his first start with the Blue Jays on March 29 after just 41 pitches on account of a thumb issue, spending the subsequent three months on the Injured List. Monday was just his third start of the season.
“I felt like I had a superb fastball tonight,” he said, crediting the pitch for his success against a vaunted Yankees lineup.
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“I used to be capable of pitch with that and arrange every other pitch and it allowed me to type of navigate their lineup a bit of bit after I was in there. So, there’s a whole lot of good.”
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This version of Scherzer appears to be the version the Blue Jays were expecting after they signed him to a one-year contract price $15.5 million.
“It was evident with the best way he began the sport, that, yeah, that’s the perfect version of Max that we’ve seen” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider following the sport.
“That’s who he’s,” said Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. “He’s the style of one who comes here early daily, at all times focuses on the sport, and offers you all the pieces he’s got.”
Scherzer’s return has come at an opportune time for the Blue Jays.
With the club within the thick of a divisional race, Monday’s victory leaves the Blue Jays just two games back of the Yankees for the American League East lead.
The Blue Jays have gone 30-18 since May 8, earning the third-best winning percentage within the majors during that span while also rating top-10 in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and OPS.
“Everybody’s been doing their job,” said Guerrero Jr. “Just helping one another. And we trust in one another loads. So, we’ve been playing great as a team.”
It was a complete team effort for the Blue Jays on Monday.
Guerrero Jr. drove home three runs with a single and double, while second baseman Davis Schneider finished 2-for-3 with a double and shortstop Ernie Clement went 2-for-5 with one RBI.
With the lead right down to one in the underside of the ninth, closer Jeff Hoffman entered the sport and pitched a scoreless frame to secure the victory and earn his nineteenth save of the yr, rating him third amongst American League pitchers.
“It felt like a really meaningful baseball game,” said Schneider. “It’s June. It’ll be July tomorrow (Tuesday), and tomorrow’s an enormous day for us as a team and as a rustic. I’m sure it’ll be fun again tomorrow.”
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Right-hander Kevin Gausman (6-6) starts for the Jays on Canada Day, while the visiting Yankees will hand the ball to left-hander Max Fried (10-2).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press