The Toronto Blue Jays will be going into the 2025 season with their backs against the wall, hoping to achieve one last run at the playoffs before both members of their homegrown dynamic duo, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, have the chance to leave in free agency – if they’re not traded before then. In an attempt to salvage his Blue Jays legacy in the final year of his own contract, GM Ross Atkins brought in a pair of bona fide stars: Anthony Santander and Max Scherzer.
But unlike Santander, who is coming of a career-high 44 home run season, Mad Max is no longer in his prime. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has seen his velocity drop and his ERA head skyward in recent years. While we can’t understate the value of Scherzer’s veteran presence on the mound for the Jays, also noting he is still a great pitcher, there is one concern that stands above the rest.
Scherzer will be turning 41 this season and his track record with injury is far from spotless. He has been injured every year since 2019, and he's notched just 17 starts over the past two seasons combined. Now, before the season could begin, these concerns have already resurfaced.
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Max Scherzer’s thumb sparks injury concerns
This spring, Scherzer’s thumb has been ailing him on intermittent occasions. The veteran righty had this to say about his thumb:
“When I’m out there, it heats up and it goes away and I’m fine. It’s kind of like tendinitis, in a way. Once it gets hot and gets out there, then I don’t feel it and I can pitch the way I’ve always pitched. I’m not worried about my stuff, I’m worried about how I recover — because this can blow up fast and lead to a lot of other things.”
“I’ll know what damage I did on it today, tomorrow.”
This adds only more uncertainty, as the effects of any potential injury are not immediately known. Feeling fine after a great start one day could mean hitting the IL the next day. But his thumb isn’t the only injury risk if this continues. Scherzer had this to explain:
“It’s not arthritis, it’s the CMC joint and the MCP joint, between those two. The way I grip my pitches, I really come down on that thumb, and my thumb gets blown up because of that. When it gets too inflamed, then it becomes a nerve issue and it starts moving up the arm and it can get into other things, and even into the shoulder. So, my entire arm health is predicated on this thumb.”
This is, without a doubt, a startling revelation. The health of Scherzer’s entire arm hinging on his thumb is not the news Blue Jays’ fans want to hear.
In any case, whether an IL stint is warranted at some point or not, this ailment could affect Scherzer’s performance. Like with any other pitcher, Scherzer’s hand is his tool. An ailing thumb could easily take the bite off Scherzer’s daunting arsenal. For now, we can only wait to see what comes of Scherzer’s one season in Toronto.