Max Scherzer Hilariously Trolls Ump After Questionable Call Against Guardians

This Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher may be on the injured list, but he’s found a way to quietly troll a home plate umpire.

Mar 29, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles in the second inning at Rogers Centre. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

As the Toronto Blue Jays host the Cleveland Guardians this weekend, they’ve drawn an umpiring crew that includes CB Bucknor.

Bucknor is a somewhat polarizing figure within the game. He gets similar shout-outs on social media as former umpire Angel Hernandez, who recently retired. Bucknor was behind the plate of Friday’s game.

Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer — who is currently on the 15-day injured list — was in the dugout watching the game. He has just completed what was described as a heavy bullpen, which included about two innings’ worth of pitches as he prepares for what he hopes will be a rehab assignment soon.

In the meantime, a Scherzer with little to do is a funny Scherzer. And he brought the funny on Friday night.

Sitting in a bench seat with a full view of the field, he watched as Bucknor called balls and strikes while Scherzer’s teammate, Chris Bassitt, was pitching.

What Scherzer did next would best be described as trolling. He mimicked flipping a coin when Bassitt threw, suggesting that Bucknor was just guessing at balls and strikes.

Max Scherzer was mocking home plate umpire CB Bucknor, suggesting that he was flipping a coin to make his calls

(via @Sportsnet) pic.twitter.com/tkp1D2neDj

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 3, 2025

It was certainly funny. But the Blue Jays would much rather have Scherzer back in the rotation.

Toronto put him on the 15-day injured list on March 30 after his season debut with right thumb inflammation. The hope is that after his bullpen on Friday that he’ll be able to throw live batting practice next week before leaving for a rehab assignment.

It’s just the latest injury for the future Baseball Hall of Famer, as he went through two injury-riddled seasons with the Texas Rangers, though he did return to help them win a World Series in 2023.

But the right teres major muscle injury he suffered in late 2023 led to a herniated disc, which led to other setbacks in 2024, including a pinched nerve that forced Scherzer to change his arm angle so he could pitch effectively.

He was healthy coming into this season — until he wasn’t. As a result, the Blue Jays signed Spencer Turnbull and Jose Urena as rotation depth on Saturday.

The 18-year veteran has a career 3.16 ERA across 2,881 innings in 467 games (458 starts) with 3,408 strikeouts and a 133 ERA+. He’s also won three Cy Young Awards and two World Series rings, the other with the Washington Nationals in 2019.