Max Scherzer is not waiting long before his first spring-training appearance.
Just over a week after agreeing to return to the Toronto Blue Jays, Scherzer will get on the mound Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies (1 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+), manager John Schneider confirmed on Friday.
Schneider also revealed the Blue Jays' pitching plan for the weekend after Jose Berrios takes the mound Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates (1 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+).
In split-squad action on Sunday, Kevin Gausman will pitch against the Detroit Tigers (1 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+) and Cody Ponce will take on the Baltimore Orioles.
Meanwhile, fellow pitcher Ricky Tiedemann has not yet resumed throwing after experiencing elbow soreness earlier in spring training. An MRI revealed no structural damage.
"Hopefully in the next couple of days he should be back at it," Schneider said.
Scherzer appeared in 17 games and logged 85 innings last year before making three more starts in the playoffs for Toronto. He went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA through 85 innings in his 18th MLB season as he battled a thumb issue.
The 41-year-old threw a bullpen session on Monday before his deal was formally announced and also threw to hitters on Wednesday to help him ramp up for the regular season.
Scherzer is competing for a spot in the rotation that also includes Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, Jose Berrios and Eric Lauer.
Bieber is not expected to be a part of the rotation to start the season as he works his way through arm fatigue, which has delayed his spring training preparation. Schneider said Bieber is "chomping at the bit," but the team has not set a date for his return to the mound.
"All the reports are good," Schneider said. "We'll stick with the process and keep getting his feedback."
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