For a pitcher with three Cy Young awards, some losses are simply unacceptable. After the Blue Jays’ latest collapse against the Twins, Max Scherzer put the blame squarely on one person: himself

“[I] lost the ball game. I can look at myself and face in the mirror, and I’m accountable for how I go out there and execute,” Scherzer reflected after the 3rd game against Minnesota. 

He started the game with a clean first inning and even struck out Luke Keaschall with a fastball. Toronto managed a 1-0 lead in the same inning. However, the disaster started in the second. 

Max Scherzer first walked Josh Bell and delivered an HBP to Matt Wallner. The Twins’ Tristan Gray hit Max for a homer with Bell and Wallner on the bases. Minnesota managed to turn the 3-1 lead into a 4-1 lead in the next inning with Kody Clemens’ solo HR. 

John Schneider pulled Scherzer after just 2⅓ innings with the Twins leading 6-1. Scherzer left two runners on base, and things got worse when reliever Joe Mantiply immediately gave up a two-run double. Because Scherzer originally put those guys on base, he was charged with eight earned runs total, as the Jays fell behind 8-1 after three innings.

The 41-year-old suffered one of the worst outings of his career as Toronto lost the game 8-2. Scherzer’s last start with the team wasn’t very effective either. He pitched only 2 innings against the Dodgers, allowing 2 runs. The Blue Jays suffered an even bigger disaster of 14-2. 

The 2025 World Series runners-up haven’t shown much hope for the fans this season. They sit at the bottom of the AL East with a 6-9 record. And they have only won one series, the season opener. 

Max Scherzer has had better days as the 3x Cy Young winner has a career ERA of 3.24. And his last season and October run were fruitful for the Jays. While the early season shows concerns, it also shows a different side of the veteran. 

Max Scherzer’s accountability sets the tone for the Blue Jays despite struggles

The biggest part of Scherzer’s confession is how he made no excuse. He has been playing with a right forearm tendinitis. The same issue limited his innings in the Dodgers game. The issue also reduced his velocity in the April 12 game, but he never even mentioned his injury. 

The Blue Jays only scored 2 runs in the final game against the Twins. So it wasn’t just a pitching issue. But Max didn’t try to put it on offense or defense to justify his failure. He took full responsibility publicly, absorbing the pressure for the team.

This showed an outright leadership mentality from the veteran. He tried to protect the clubhouse from the noise, saying, “Today I didn’t get it done.”

And this is the exact mindset the Blue Jays need right now: accountability. Sure, a .235 batting average only puts them middle of the pack at 14th in the league, but this is still a deeply talented roster backed by a rock-solid defense. A few setbacks shouldn’t decide their fate so early in the season. 

Results alone don’t define a team. And mindset matters a lot. Max Scherzer might have drifted away from his standards. But he still thinks like an ace and holds himself to high expectations to prove himself one last time.