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Toronto Blue Jays' Max Scherzer Flashes Leather With No-Look, Behind-the-Back Stab

Max Scherzer made quite the highlight play in his final outing of spring training, getting the Toronto Blue Jays out of the second inning with a wild stop.

Sam Connon

Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second inning during spring training at TD Ballpark.
Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second inning during spring training at TD Ballpark. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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Max Scherzer has been dealing with a thumb injury for nearly two weeks now, but the veteran pitcher looked perfectly fine Saturday afternoon.

The 40-year-old right-hander got the start for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Minnesota Twins, making his final appearance of spring training. The first batter Scherzer faced reached on an error, but he sat down the next three Twins to escape the opening frame unscathed.

Scherzer got a strikeout and pop out to open the second, before Edouard Julien shot a grounder up the middle. Scherzer wasn't ready for his no-hit bid to end, though, making a no-look, behind-the-back stop as he came off the mound.

Without hesitation, Scherzer tossed the ball over to first for the inning-ending putout.

Scherzer lasted 4.0 innings before getting the hook, giving up two hits and a walk while racking up four strikeouts. He finishes Grapefruit League play with a 1.38 ERA and 0.462 WHIP.

The Blue Jays signed Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5 million contract in February.

Despite coming off his least effective season of his storied career, Scherzer still posted a 3.95 ERA, 1.154 WHIP, 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings and 0.4 WAR across nine starts in 2024. The three-time Cy Young, eight-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion is 216-112 in his career with a 3.16 ERA, 1.078 WHIP, 3,407 strikeouts and 74.4 WAR.

Scherzer will open the regular season in the Blue Jays' rotation, barring any setbacks with his right thumb soreness. It remains to be seen where he will fit into the five-man hierarchy, although José Berríos has already earned the Opening Day nod.

Related MLB Stories

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  • BÁEZ BOUNCING AROUND: Javier Báez, who has almost exclusively played shortstop in his MLB career, is set to man center field for the Tigers on Saturday. CLICK HERE
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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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