TORONTO 鈥� Pitcher Max Scherzer鈥檚 second start at Rogers Centre this season was far more successful than this first.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner pitched five strong innings on Monday night as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 5-4. Scherzer struck out seven while allowing three hits and two runs on 71 pitches.
He also did not walk a batter, and his fastball topped out at over 95 miles-per-hour.
鈥淚 thought I was on the ball better today,鈥� said Scherzer post-game. 鈥淚 kind of made a little adjustment in-between starts and I felt like it got me in and really started dialing in pitches.鈥�
Scherzer was forced to leave his first start with the Blue Jays on March 29 after just 41 pitches due to a thumb issue, spending the next three months on the Injured List. Monday was just his third start of the season.
鈥淚 felt like I had a good fastball tonight,鈥� he said, crediting the pitch for his success against a vaunted Yankees lineup.
鈥淚 was able to pitch with that and set up every other pitch and it allowed me to kind of navigate their lineup a little bit when I was in there. So, there鈥檚 a lot of good.鈥�
This version of Scherzer appears to be the version the Blue Jays were expecting when they signed him to a one-year contract worth $15.5 million.
鈥淚t was evident with the way he started the game, that, yeah, that鈥檚 the best version of Max that we鈥檝e seen鈥� said Blue Jays manager John Schneider following the game.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 who he is,鈥� said Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the type of person who comes here early every day, always focuses on the game, and gives you everything he鈥檚 got.鈥�
Scherzer鈥檚 return has come at an opportune time for the Blue Jays.
With the club in the thick of a divisional race, Monday鈥檚 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 in the majors during that span while also ranking top-10 in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and OPS.
鈥淓verybody鈥檚 been doing their job,鈥� said Guerrero Jr. 鈥淛ust helping each other. And we trust in each other a lot. So, we鈥檝e been playing great as a team.鈥�
It was a total 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 down to one in the bottom of the ninth, closer Jeff Hoffman entered the game and pitched a scoreless frame to secure the victory and earn his 19th save of the year, ranking him third among American League pitchers.
鈥淚t felt like a very meaningful baseball game,鈥� said Schneider. 鈥淚t is June. It鈥檒l be July tomorrow (Tuesday), and tomorrow鈥檚 a big day for us as a team and as a country. I鈥檓 sure it鈥檒l be fun again tomorrow.鈥�
UP NEXT
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.
Mike Stephens, The Canadian Press
