2 days agoToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (thumb) is set to throw in a minor-league game "in the next day or two." If Scherzer performs well, he should be on track to be ready for Opening Day. Earlier in camp, Scherzer was scratched from a start due to minor thumb soreness. However, given this report, it appears Scherzer should be in a good position to be ready for Opening Day. During the winter, the Blue Jays signed the right-hander to a one-year $15.5 million contract. Last season, Scherzer was limited by numerous injuries as he logged just 43 1/3 innings. He posted a 3.95 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP. In 2023, Scherzer tossed 152 2/3 innings with a 3.77 ERA and a strong 1.12 WHIP. Fantasy managers should view the 40-year-old as a solid late-round starting pitcher that should provide solid strikeout upside while improving your WHIP ratio.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Keegan Matheson
4 days agoToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (thumb) threw a successful session on Friday morning. According to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, the right-hander "let it rip" and did not appear to face any setbacks. The team is expected to provide an update in the coming days. The 40-year-old has been dealing with soreness in his thumb. However, seeing him throw at full strength suggests he will likely not be in danger of missing Opening Day. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he looks to increase his workload. Earlier in the offseason, Scherzer inked a one-year deal worth $15.5 million with the Blue Jays. Before this injury, Scherzer had allowed just two runs while tallying 14 punchouts across nine frames. When healthy, he should have a permanent spot in the rotation.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Keegan Matheson
5 days agoToronto Blue Jays right-hander
Max Scherzer (thumb) had an MRI exam on his sore right thumb, but nothing serious was found, according to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. Scherzer is playing catch in camp on Thursday and will be back on a mound on Friday or Saturday. It's good news for an aging pitcher that has dealt with injuries in recent seasons as he nears the end of his career. The 40-year-old three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star was scratched from his Cactus League start this week but has avoided any serious damage and should be ready for Opening Day later this month. Although he remains an injury risk at this point of his career after making only nine starts in 2024 due to injuries, Scherzer can be a value pick in deeper fantasy drafts if he can stay on the field. So far in nine innings in spring training, he's looked more like his old self with 14 strikeouts and no walks.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Keegan Matheson
6 days agoThe Toronto Blue Jays are bumping right-hander
Max Scherzer (thumb) from his scheduled Grapefruit League start on Thursday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles due to a sore right thumb that he developed after his last spring outing last Saturday against the Detroit Tigers. Manager John Schneider said the team is "just being extra careful with him" and expects to know more about the 40-year-old veteran in the coming days. The Jays are saying it's nothing serious, but given Scherzer's many injuries in recent seasons, this could easily turn into something that lands him on the injured list to start the year if he doesn't bounce back quickly. The three-time Cy Young winner has only allowed two earned runs while walking none and striking out 14 in nine innings over two spring starts, but durability issues as he nears the end of his career have him ranked just inside the top-100 starting pitchers at RotoBaller.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Sportsnet.ca - Arden Zwelling
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