Max Scherzer struggles on mound as battered Blue Jays drop series with Twins

Future Hall of Famer done in by uncharacteristic wildness as Toronto drops 8-2 decision to visiting Minnesota

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Published Apr 12, 2026  •  4 minute read

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer walks back to the dugout after getting pulled against the Minnesota Twins during third inning American League MLB baseball action in Toronto on Sunday, April 12, 2026. Photo by Nathan Denette /THE CANADIAN PRESS

All those injuries are beginning to take a toll on the Toronto Blue Jays.

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On a day when they added George Springer to a growing injured list with a broken toe — he’s player No. 9 on that list including those coming out of spring training hurt — the Jays looked to Max Scherzer to give them the edge in this series with the Minnesota Twins.

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But Scherzer isn’t fully healthy himself after coming out early in his most recent start with a forearm issue and while he took the mound Sunday on his regular turn, the Twins took advantage early on their way to an 8-2 win.

UNCHARACTERISTIC WILDNESS

It wasn’t any ailment that took Scherzer from the game as much as it was the Minnesota Twins and Scherzer’s own uncharacteristic wildness as the Twins put up three against the future Hall of Famer in the second and then five more in the third, prompting his exit.

It was nothing close to vintage Scherzer as the Twins touched him up for a pair of home runs, three singles, a hit-by-pitch and two walks before he made his exit with one out in the third and the bases loaded.

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Scherzer was encouraged by the fact that he was able to loosen up the forearm and didn’t feel any effects of the tendonitis that took him out of that last start, but always the competitor, he was beating himself up about those batters he put on base.

“Today I got beat on walks and missed executions,” Scherzer said. “Both walks scored and when I was trying to execute my pitches against lefties, I left it in a position where they could do damage on it. I paid for it.”

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BULLPEN STRONG IN RELIEF

All three of the runners Joe Mantiply inherited from Scherzer came around to score, maxing out Mad Max’s line at eight earned runs against.

Scherzer won’t know until Monday whether this bout of tendonitis is behind him, but into the post-game he wasn’t feeling any tightness, which is a good sign and was very hopeful he wouldn’t become the 10th to join that injured list.

One thing Scherzer didn’t want to hear post-game were any suggestions that the Jays were using the number of injuries they are dealing with as some sort of excuse or explanation for their slow start.

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“There’s no feeling sorry for yourself,” Scherzer said. “This is the big leagues. You find a way to get better and win ball games or you don’t … Every team you face, they are going to have guys who are hurting. They are going to have guys on the IL (injured list). It’s no excuse.

“If somebody is hurt, someone else has an opportunity to come up here and show what they can do. Whether you are hurt or whether you are not, whether you got something or you don’t, no one cares. This is about going out there and winning ball games. We have to be accountable for how we are playing and we have to be better.”

On a positive note, the bullpen did not allow a single earned run in the 6 2/3 innings they were asked to cover after Scherzer left the game, though the damage was well done by the time they arrived on the scene.

For the series, the bullpen threw 15 1/3 shutout innings allowing just five hits and two walks with 20 strikeouts. The rotation may have sprung a few leaks and the offence may have forgotten how to drive in runs, but Toronto’s bullpen is doing its job.

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Eloy Jiménez of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a single in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre on Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Toronto. Photo by Cole Burston /Getty Images

RECURRING THEME ON OFFENCE

Offensively, the loss of Springer at the top of the order means more holes further down the lineup as Ernie Clement moved up to take his spot in the leadoff role.

Clement and Daulton Varsho, batting second, accounted for six of the Jays’ 12 hits on the day between them with Clement scoring both runs and Varsho driving in one.

But the recurring theme was followed again with 12 runners in scoring position left on base. Without Kirk, Barger and now Springer — all regulars in the lineup — Toronto has lost a lot of its thump in the batting order.

“I think we’re just kind of missing that big hit and we’re missing guys obviously,” Jays manager John Schneider said summing up the 2-4 homestand.

Eloy Jimenez, the player who was promoted when Springer was placed on the disabled list, made his Jays debut and had a pair of singles. Once a top prospect in the days when Vladdy Guerrero Jr. was on the way up, Jimenez had not played in the majors since September 2024 due to a rash of injuries.

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How long he’s up is likely tied to Springer’s return. The indication from the Jays is that Springer could have probably avoided the IL by taking a few days off, but the team wants to give him the full 10 days with so much of the schedule still remaining and no one in the American League East really separating themselves from the pack.

Toronto will enjoy a day off on Monday before opening a nine-game, three-city road trip in Milwaukee. There will also be stops in Arizona and Los Angeles, where they will visit the Angels before returning home on April 24.

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