Max Scherzer Placed on Injured List Again as Blue Jays Struggle with Rotation

The Toronto Blue Jays have placed right-hander Max Scherzer on the injured list for the second time this season, sidelined by back spasms retroactive to June 14th. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was scheduled to start against the Boston Red Sox but will miss the game, with reliever Braydon Fisher operating as an opener instead. Fellow right-hander Chad Dallas was recalled to the roster in a corresponding move.

Scherzer's injury troubles have plagued his 2026 campaign with the Blue Jays. The 41-year-old pitcher, who signed a $3 million one-year deal with Toronto in the offseason, spent more than six weeks on the injured list from late April through early June due to right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation. He returned to action last week and notched a milestone achievement by becoming the 11th pitcher in major league history to reach 3,500 career strikeouts when he struck out Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber. However, his performance has been disappointing, allowing five runs in just 3⅓ innings in a loss to the Phillies before this latest setback.

The statistics underscore a challenging season for the future Hall-of-Famer. Through six starts, Scherzer has logged only 22 innings while allowing 25 earned runs, posting a 10.23 ERA and a 1-4 record. His walk rate of 10.8% is on pace to be the worst of his career, while his 13.7% strikeout rate falls well below his career average, also marking a career low. The injury appears to be precautionary rather than severe, though its timing represents another blow to Toronto's rotation.

The Blue Jays' starting pitching has been undermined by injuries throughout 2026. In addition to Scherzer's two stints on the injured list, Dylan Cease and Trey Yesavage have also missed time. More significantly, José Berríos, Bowden Francis, and Cody Ponce are done for the season. These absences have forced the team to rely heavily on bullpen games and creative roster management. Shane Bieber, who has been sidelined all season with elbow inflammation, remains on a rehab assignment and could potentially rejoin the rotation if his recovery continues progressing.

With Scherzer unavailable, Toronto will turn to Fisher as an opener, with Chad Dallas available in a bulk relief role alongside other options such as Simeon Woods Richardson and Spencer Miles. The organization had briefly assembled what appeared to be a healthy five-man rotation last week when both Cease and Scherzer were activated, but the latest injury has forced another reconfiguration of the pitching staff.