After leaving Monday's start due to thumb fatigue, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer is good to go for his turn through the rotation on Saturday.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider provided the update to reporters on Friday. The 40-year-old will square off against Los Angeles Angels right-hander Jack Kochanowicz on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+. Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT.
Scherzer threw five innings of two-run ball in a win against the New York Yankees, tossing 71 pitches with seven strikeouts before handing the game over to Toronto's bullpen.
In his final inning of work, he was visited by Schneider and the Blue Jays' training staff. He ended up staying in the game to get the final out of the fifth.
The Blue Jays also provided injury updates on outfielders Daulton Varsho and Anthony Santander, per Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling.
Varsho returned to running the bases on Thursday after suffering a setback in his rehab in late June. The 29-year-old centre-fielder felt hamstring tightness while running the bases, leading Toronto to slow down his recovery.
He will continue to run the bases in the coming days before beginning a rehab assignment.
After a delayed start to his 2025 season, Varsho gave the Blue Jays a spark with his return, hitting eight home runs in 24 games and providing his Gold Glove-calibre defence in the outfield.
Santander, meanwhile, was moved to the 60-day injured list Friday to make room for right-hander Lazaro Estrada on the 40-man roster. Zwelling reported that Toronto's top off-season acquisition is still a week away from hitting, and that he now isn't eligible to return from the IL until the end of July.
The 30-year-old has been on the injured list since the end of May with a shoulder injury. He had a PRP injection in the shoulder shortly after and has been unable to return to swinging a bat.
The Athletic's Mitch Bannon also provided an injury update on rehabbing pitcher Alek Manoah, who will have one more bullpen session before getting into rehab games. Manoah has been working his way back from UCL reconstruction surgery.
