TORONTO, ON - APRIL 6 - Pitcher Max Scherzer #31 of the Toronto Blue Jays warms up before the game as the Toronto Blue Jays fall to the Los Angeles Dodgers 14-2 at Rogers Centre in Toronto. April 6, 2026. Steve Russell/Toronto Star (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Toronto Star via Getty Images
The Toronto Blue Jays entered the 2026 season hoping veteran additions would help support a roster built around stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Ernie Clement.
Instead, injuries have become a recurring storyline, and no player has embodied that challenge more than veteran right-hander Max Scherzer.
The eight-time All-Star and surefire future Hall of Famer suffered another setback this week when the Blue Jays placed him on the injured list with back spasms shortly before he was due for a return to the mound.
“Max Scherzer is back on the injured list,” the Associated Press reported. “The Toronto Blue Jays placed the three-time Cy Young winner on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with back spasms. The move came hours before Scherzer was scheduled to start against the Boston Red Sox.”
The development marked another frustrating chapter in what has been a difficult season for the 41-year-old and it created fresh uncertainty about his role moving forward.
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The latest injury, which has come amid a harsh season of setbacks for Scherzer, instantly raised questions about the future of his career and whether he would actually be able and willing to return to the mound again.
Scherzer addressed those questions head on with a four-word response shortly after returning to the injured list.
“I can be pitching,” Scherzer said, according to The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon. “Nothing that has happened has changed any course of that. Just got to get through this.”
At this point, Scherzer has 2,985 innings on his arm and it’s easy to imagine that this latest setback could be the final straw as he struggles to maintain a competitive form on the mound.
“Scherzer has a 10.23 ERA in 22 innings this year, allowing nine homers,” Bannon noted. “He’s been on the IL twice, recovering from four ailments — thumb, forearm, back and ankle. He’s made just one start in the last seven weeks, lasting 3 1/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies.”
But those struggles evidently haven’t been enough to push Scherzer into retirement and the team seems to be sticking with him as well.
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The Blue Jays signed Scherzer expecting veteran leadership and meaningful innings from one of the most accomplished pitchers of his generation, as he was able to provide during the team’s World Series run last year. Instead, they have received only flashes of that production while watching him battle multiple physical issues.
Still, Scherzer’s comments suggest retirement is not currently on his mind. The veteran remains focused on returning to the rotation and helping Toronto down the stretch.
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