Blue Jays – Toronto says no starter has been set for Tuesday or Wednesday against the Phillies, with a clearer pitching plan expected by Monday afternoon after left hamstring and forearm rehab throws from Garrett Cease and Max Scherzer.
When the Blue Jays walked through their plans for the Philadelphia Phillies, two question marks were still hanging over the rotation. Toronto has no starter announced for Tuesday or Wednesday’s games against the Phillies, and the club expects a clearer pitching plan by Monday afternoon.
The delay is tied to how Garrett Cease and Max Scherzer are feeling as they work their way back from the injured list. General manager Ross Schneider said the team will “see how they feel and go from there,” to determine whether they return.
Cease landed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain on May 25. The off-season acquisition is already in the next phase: he made a rehab start with triple-A Buffalo on Thursday. Cease worked four innings on 75 pitches, including 50 for strikes. He allowed six hits, five earned runs and two home runs, striking out six and walking one.
It’s a stark contrast to the form that helped Toronto feel good early after signing him. Through his first 11 starts and 62 innings with the Blue Jays, Cease posted a 3.05 ERA with 92 strikeouts.
Scherzer’s road has been longer. The 41-year-old has been on the injured list since April 27 with forearm tendinitis and ankle inflammation. He has made two rehab starts in triple-A, with his most recent appearance coming on Friday. In that outing, Scherzer threw 3.2 innings of three-run, five-hit ball and averaged 93.4 miles per hour with his fastball.
Before the injuries, the season had been tough for Scherzer in Toronto. He struggled to start the year, finishing with a 9.64 ERA, 10 strikeouts and eight walks over 18.2 innings.
The Blue Jays will open their series with the Phillies on Monday at 7:07 p.m. ET, with Patrick Corbin scheduled to start.
For now, Toronto’s rotation is built on Monday’s answer—and on what comes next from Cease and Scherzer once they finish their side sessions and the team decides how they truly feel.
Toronto Blue Jays Philadelphia Phillies Garrett Cease Max Scherzer Ross Schneider injured list rehab start Patrick Corbin hamstring strain forearm tendinitis ankle inflammation
So theyre just not playing starters?? sounds like bad planning on purpose.
I mean they said they’ll know by Monday afternoon but Tuesday/Wednesday are basically just TBD forever right? Also Cease giving up 2 homers in rehab start… that cant be great? But maybe it’s fine because it was Buffalo??
Ross Schneider really said “see how they feel” like it’s a spa day lol. If Scherzer is throwing 93 mph again though that’s wild, but I guess forearm tendinitis is no joke. Still, no starter announced sounds like they’re scrambling.
This is what happens when pitchers get “rehab throws” instead of just pitching through like older days. And why is Corbin starting Monday like nothing happened? I swear Toronto always delays stuff, then fans act surprised when it falls apart. Cease had a 3.05 ERA at the start so now they should just put him back ASAP… unless the Phillies magic is stronger than the injury report or whatever.