Max Scherzer didn’t have his best stuff Tuesday night in Toronto. The veteran right-hander struggled against the Yankees, giving up four earned runs in what became a tough 5-4 loss for the Blue Jays.
The trouble started early for Scherzer. Jazz Chisholm Jr. tagged him for a three-run homer in the first inning, setting the tone for a difficult evening. Cody Bellinger added a solo shot in the fifth, though Scherzer managed to grind through five innings without taking the loss.
The Yankees grabbed the win in dramatic fashion. With the game knotted at 4-4 in the ninth, rookie Ben Rice took Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman deep for what turned out to be the game-winner.
Scherzer didn’t make excuses afterward.
“I didn’t execute. That’s on me,” Scherzer said postgame, via reporter Hazel Mae. “But that’s also what makes them dangerous. They don’t let those mistakes slide. You miss your spot, and it ends up over the fence.”
It’s been a tough season for the three-time Cy Young winner. Scherzer’s now sitting with a 5.14 ERA through six starts, and this was just his second month back after a thumb injury pushed his season debut all the way back to late June.
The way I see it, that’s vintage Yankees baseball – capitalize on mistakes and make pitchers pay for location errors. Even a future Hall of Famer like Scherzer isn’t immune when he’s not sharp.
Despite the loss, Toronto still holds a three-game lead over New York in the AL East. But momentum can shift quickly in this division.
Wednesday’s rubber match should be telling. Max Fried (11-3, 2.43 ERA) takes the ball for the Yankees, while Chris Bassitt (10-4, 3.89 ERA) goes for Toronto. That’s a meaningful pitching matchup that could set the tone for how both teams feel heading into the weekend.
