In his long-awaited return from thumb inflammation, Mad Max was tamed by the Cleveland Guardians.
Max Scherzer allowed three runs on six hits and three walks over 5.0 innings, striking out four while throwing up to 95.2 m.p.h. with his four-seam fastball in his second outing with the Toronto Blue Jays – first since March 29.
The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer got seven swinging strikes and 18 called strikes on 83 total pitches.
After allowing a single run on some small-ball from the top of the Guardians' order in the first inning, Scherzer's greatest troubles came in the bottom of the fourth. Daniel Schneemann doubled, Nolan Jones walked on a pitch-timer violation and Gabriel Arias sent them home with a hard-hit double.
The Blue Jays added two runs on a bases-loaded single by George Springer in the bottom of the fifth to take Scherzer off the hook for the loss.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner threw 75 pitches in his second and final rehab start at triple-A Buffalo before returning to the big leagues.
After signing a one-year, $15.5-million contract with Toronto in the off-season, Scherzer had a promising spring training before lat soreness connected to his thumb inflammation flared up during his first regular-season start.
As a result, the final spot in the Blue Jays' rotation has seen a rotating cast of options, including Easton Lucas and Spencer Turnbull, who was designated for assignment Wednesday upon Scherzer being reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
