Blue Jays Get Welcome Resurgence From Aging Superstar Max Scherzer
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The Toronto Blue Jays have been one of the American League's best teams this season, in large part due to the offensive resurgence many of their players have experienced so far.
That isn't to say their Top 10 rotation and bullpen hasn't helped either. But the Blue Jays have become one of the offensive juggernauts as the league enters the final stretch of the regular season. Now, Max Scherzer is showing signs of figuring it out on the mound.
Entering the final week of August, the future Baseball Hall of Famer and three-time Cy Young winner has a 1.80 ERA, and this might not be a flash in the pan either.
Holding Off Father Time
Scherzer has had a storied career in Major League Baseball, but his time in Toronto, up until this moment, left a lot to be desired. Irritation in his right thumb put him on the injured list after his debut in March and he didn't return until June. In three starts, he went 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA, with 12 strikeouts and three walks. It wasn't clear if Scherzer would find a groove after a long layoff.
In July he started four games and while his ERA didn't change much (4.91) he did go 2-2. He had 27 strikeouts and five walks in 22 innings as his effectiveness increased. The 41-year-old was proving he still had more in the tank.
Through four starts in August, he has a 1.80 ERA in 25 innings pitched, with 24 strikeouts and seven walks. When he next takes the mound for the Blue Jays, he'll make his fifth start of the month, his most in any month this season so far.
Since returning from the All-Star Break, Scherzer has a 2.92 ERA in 37 innings pitched, and perhaps more impressively, he has 32 strikeouts to only eight walks. While he's found success in the second half of the season, Scherzer's days of going late into games is the only part of his arsenal that has not returned.
He's only reached the eighth inning of a game once this season, and he failed to record an out. In the seventh inning of games, he has a 7.50 ERA in six innings pitched this season. Perhaps that's a good thing for the Blue Jays. Scherzer has proven he still has talent, and with the playoffs approaching, four to five innings could be all they need to find success.
In a day and age where young superstars, including on Scherzer's team, are taking over the league, maybe that old dog can still hunt and might be sniffing post-season success.
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JD Andress is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate sports. JD has provided in-depth coverage of the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Longhorns. He looks forward to being part of the coverage of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His experience spans various sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, rifle, equestrian, and others, reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.