“That’s the shame, right there.” The statement came from a Toronto Blue Jays star who regretted pulling himself off the mound before completing seven innings, despite averaging 15 pitches per inning. Such was the dedication to his game for Max Scherzer. But unfortunately, his career trajectory was cut short due to injuries. Whether it was his arm soreness that pushed him out of Game 6 of the 2021 NLDS or herniated disc surgery right after his campaign with the Texas Rangers in 2023.

And then, he was off to a shaky start once again with the Blue Jays. Just a few months ago, the fans were probably hoping to see Scherzer breathing fire on the pitches. With more than 3,400 strikeouts and three Cy Young awards, Scherzer has done everything a pitcher can do for this team. But unfortunately, soreness in his right lat muscle cut short his anticipated Blue Jays debut, landing him on the injured list. He gave up two runs and struck out four batters in his 4 1/3 innings. However, there’s good news for the Blue Jays, as an MLB insider dropped a massive update on Scherzer’s injury.

Insider Mitch Bannon, in an X post, wrote, “Max Scherzer’s fastball velocity averaged 93.6 MPH in his first inning for the Bisons tonight. He sat 92.5 last year and 91.9 in 3 MLB innings in 2025. That’ll play—but it’s the total pitches and how he rebounds that really matter tonight.” Now that the 40-year-old is being closely monitored by the coaching staff, we can expect him to be back in the rotation sooner than expected.

But does Max Scherzer feel that he can make a comeback soon?

Well, if we consider Mitch Bannon’s reaction, Scherzer is gradually getting into the rhythm. His average fastball velocity has increased, but what matters is how many pitches he can throw. Scherzer previously mentioned that the arm soreness was a “recipe for disaster.” No wonder—his arm tried to adjust with his thumb, which wasn’t healthy at that time.

But now that Scherzer has started rehabbing and managed to throw 56 pitches across 4 1/3 innings, the Blue Jays might feel lucky.  The team is currently in second place in the league. Although their pitching rotation was not terrible, it hasn’t been great, either. With an overall 4.12 ERA, the Blue Jays still have some inconsistencies in their starting rotation. They do have Eric Lauer and Paxton Schultz, who are performing well with 2.37 ERA and 3.06 ERA, respectively. But the absence of their fourth starter casts a dark shadow on their pitching lineup. That’s perhaps the reason why they need Scherzer so much.

Scherzer went 2-4 in 2024 with a 3.95 ERA and struck out 40 batters. Although the stats do not reflect anything extraordinary, Scherzer’s inclusion in the roster would mean more than that. Scherzer might be old, but he used to be one of the best pitchers, and with his vast experience, the Blue Jays will definitely benefit from having him. He possesses good leadership qualities. He has a lot of experience, especially throughout October. He could bring a lot to the Blue Jays’ table; it surely would turn out to be a game-changer. 

However, a question still remains. 

Can the Blue Jays’ $15.5M star make a comeback soon?

Well, there is no timeline for Max Scherzer’s return at the moment. However, going by their record of 38-31 in the AL East, the Blue Jays are in the thick of the playoff race. So, the management will be hoping to see him as early as possible. But let’s be fair—this kind of rehab assignment is not as simple as it looks, no?

We just cannot simply rely on Scherzer being 100 percent healthy and then increase his workload. Despite remaining optimistic about his return, manager John Schneider said, “I want to see how Max feels tomorrow, to be honest with you.” Schneider wants to see him throw more than 60 pitches and regain his previous velocity. So, it all depends on how he throws and whether he can keep going in the right direction.

If we consider the velocities, Scherzer’s average fastball velocity was around 92.5 mph. Thus, they would look to reach that number or perhaps even higher. In his 56 pitches, Scherzer averaged 91.9 mph, and his last couple of fastballs dropped further, averaging 90 mph.

While Scherzer’s inclusion might relieve the Blue Jays of the pressure of not having a fourth starter, rushing him back up might have the opposite effect. Hopefully, with a few more outings in Triple-A, he will be ready to go. And if everything goes smoothly, Scherzer might even join the team in Philadelphia.