In an already difficult season, Max Scherzer did not need any more setbacks. But things don’t always go as planned in sports. Hours before his scheduled start, the Toronto Blue Jays were forced to place their veteran pitcher on the injured list. The frequent IL trips have frustrated the player himself.

“I’m frustrated,” expressed Scherzer, per Keegan Marheson. “I wanted to get in that rhythm. I wanted to be out there. My arm feels like it’s in a really great spot right now, but I can’t go.”

Max Scherzer’s return from the IL after a months-long injury setback did not last more than a single start. Ahead of his scheduled start against the Boston Red Sox, the pitcher was placed on the 15-day IL.

According to Matheson, the Blue Jays placed Scherzer on the IL due to back spasms. This is Scherzer’s second IL stint in 2026. He had initially missed weeks of playing time due to left ankle inflammation and right forearm tendinitis. The Blue Jays reinstated him on June 11 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

At 41 years old, Scherzer is navigating a difficult season this year. He has posted an ERA of 10.23 across 6 games. In his latest start against the Phillies, manager John Schneider pulled the right-hander after only 3.1 innings due to his inconsistencies. He had given up 5 runs on 5 hits, while issuing 3 walks in 82 pitches. As the Blue Jays lost the match, Scherzer took his fourth loss of the season. He holds a 1-4 record.

The Blue Jays were forced to bring in last-minute changes in the rotation due to Scherzer’s injury. On Wednesday, Jake Bennett took the mound in place of Scherzer. In 4 games, Bennett has posted a 5.12 ERA this season.

While Scherzer himself continues to face challenges on the mound, he has expressed his latest idea for saving starting pitching in MLB.

Max Scherzer wants a major rule change in MLB 

In the last few years, the MLB has faced a starting pitching problem as pitchers are focusing more on high velocities and low inning counts. The chase for high velocity has also increased the chances of injuries in starting pitchers. So to save the ‘endangered’ starting pitching in MLB, Scherzer has put forward some steps.

“I would love to see some type of pitch minimum be brought into the game,” Scherzer reportedly said. “So that way a starter has to go out there and throw 100 pitches.”

The MLB does not have any binding rules for starting pitching. The decision about when to pull the starters out of the game relies completely on the coaches’ discretion.  But the veteran pitcher does not want that anymore. He wants the MLB to introduce a threshold before starters can be pulled from the game.

Last year and the year before, Scherzer had expressed a similar sentiment. He wanted starting pitchers to throw at least six innings, 100 pitches, or allow four runs in 2025. In 2024, he wanted the threshold at 90 pitches, three runs, and five innings.