Scherzer throws to hitters in big step toward return

ANAHEIM -- Max Scherzer is one step closer to returning to the mound.

The 40-year-old right-hander, who has been on the injured list with right thumb inflammation since exiting early from his Blue Jays debut on March 29, faced live batters Tuesday for the first time since his injury.

“Good, really good,” manager John Schneider said after Scherzer’s session off the game mound at Angel Stadium. “Twenty pitches after he threw in the ’pen. And then I thought standing back there, his stuff was really good. … So that’s a really good step in the right direction.”

Scherzer mentioned to Schneider that he felt good after throwing. The tightness and soreness that set him back earlier in his recovery doesn’t seem to be lingering. The plan is for Scherzer to throw live again this weekend in Seattle with a higher pitch count before figuring out the next steps.

Scherzer was pulled after just three innings in his first start. He had a solid spring, posting a 1.38 ERA in 13 total innings over four starts, which showed the three-time Cy Young Award winner has plenty left in the tank when healthy.

The problem the past few years, though, is that Scherzer has dealt with injuries more often than not. Since the start of the 2022 season, Scherzer has had seven stints on the IL. Some of those, like his 2023 teres major strain, stemmed from his lingering thumb soreness. It affects his grip on the ball, and any small alteration to it or his delivery can potentially create more problems for his forearm and up the rest of his arm.

“The danger of pitching with this is that you could sustain a shoulder injury,” Scherzer previously said.

Scherzer has received two cortisone shots in his thumb this season, but the hope is that the worst is behind him.

In the meantime, the Blue Jays have struggled with their rotation depth in Scherzer’s absence. Their starting pitchers entered their three-game series against the Angels on Tuesday with the fifth-worst ERA in the Majors, 4.49.

Toronto signed two pitchers over the weekend, José Ureña and Spencer Turnbull, who they hope can provide some stability at least until Scherzer comes back. Turnbull needs time in extended spring camp before he joins them, but Ureña made his Blue Jays debut on Tuesday night at Angel Stadium and allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

The earliest Scherzer can return from the 60-day injured list is May 29. A concrete timeline is still up in the air.

“[We’ll] see how he is tomorrow,” Schneider said about Scherzer. “And probably do that again on this road trip sometime in the weekend, but with more pitches.”