SEATTLE — By the time Game 4 of the AL Championship Series rolls around Thursday at T-Mobile Park, the Blue Jays will either be trying to tie the series or fighting to save their season. Either way, in Max Scherzer they trust.
Toronto turned Game 4 of the ALDS against the Yankees into a bullpen game, which it executed masterfully, but the Blue Jays are keeping things more traditional in a seven-game series. Scherzer didnâ€t finish the season strong, but all along, the club has eyed a moment like this for the 41-year-old veteran whoâ€s seen and done just about everything in this game.
“He’s a [future] Hall of Famer for a reason,†said manager John Schneider. “You feel good about handing him the ball and watching him go to work.”
This canâ€t be all about reputation, though. If it were, Toronto would sign Nolan Ryan to be available behind Scherzer in a bulk role. The Blue Jays need the version of Scherzer capable of winning in the postseason right here, right now. Thatâ€s a version we didnâ€t see in September.
Thereâ€s a method to the Blue Jays†thinking, though. Since he was left off the ALDS roster, Scherzer has continued to pitch and is feeling much better physically than he was a month ago. Schneider has said in recent days that this impacted some of Scherzer’s secondary pitches, which were certainly an issue. Over his final six starts (25 IP), he posted a 9.00 ERA.
Just prior to that, though, Scherzer looked fantastic. Itâ€s still in there, which is why Schneider believes Scherzer can find it again.
“I think you get the best version out of Max.†Schneider said. “He prepares. I’ve talked about him preparing all year. So I think keeping things normal for him [is good]. You want to see normalcy. You trust that he’s going to be prepared and go out and give everything he has and hopefully rise to the occasion of a big moment.â€
If Scherzerâ€s stuff is where it was in late July and early August, the Blue Jays should have all the confidence in the world. We wonâ€t know until we see it, but Toronto can go into Game 4 with the certainty that nothing will surprise Scherzer. Heâ€s made 30 postseason appearances (25 starts) totaling 143 innings, and he won rings in 2019 with the Nationals and ’23 with the Rangers.
Scherzer understands the odds here, but he knows theyâ€re not 0%.
“It’s not impossible. It’s baseball,†Scherzer said. “You never know when there’s going to be turns in momentum. You never know when momentum or a series can just shift or hold. You never really know. It’s a seven-game series for a reason. If it’s a one-game play-in, we’re on vacation right now. But it’s not.â€
This is the start Toronto signed Scherzer to make. A win in Game 4 — whether that ties the series or keeps it alive — would immediately make Scherzerâ€s one-year, $15.5 million deal worth every penny and more. This only needs to work once — for now — and the Blue Jays are making one of their biggest bets of the season on a pitcher who they believe has one more great moment left.
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