Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) completed a 27-pitch bullpen session on Friday. Toronto manager John Schneider noted that it was a "step in the right direction" for the veteran right-hander. Scherzer has been sidelined with this injury after making his season debut on March 29. In this outing, Scherzer lasted just three innings before exiting the contest. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears Scherzer will need to complete several more bullpen sessions before being cleared to embark on a rehab assignment. Last season, the 40-year-old was limited to numerous injuries and logged just 43 1/3 innings on the bump. Even though he has battled injuries over the past few seasons, when on the mound, he has been effective. Fantasy managers in deeper formats should continue to stash Scherzer while he slowly increases his workload.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) threw 27 pitches off the mound on Friday in what manager John Schneider called a "step in the right direction." There's still no timetable for when Scherzer might be able to return to Toronto's starting rotation, but it's good news overall after he's had multiple setbacks with his right thumb. The 40-year-old three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star made just one start before landing on the injured list with his thumb injury, and he required multiple injections in order to deal with the discomfort. Hopefully now he'll eventually be able to build up his arm and go on a minor-league rehab assignment in the near future. The future Hall of Famer can still be valuable in fantasy, but injuries have become a major problem in the last several seasons. In his lone start against the Orioles on March 29, he allowed two earned runs in just three innings of work.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) rejoined the team in Houston this week and was seen playing catch before their game against the Astros on Monday at Daikin Park. Scherzer received a second cortisone shot in his troublesome right thumb (in the knuckle area) and is hoping it will alleviate the discomfort in his finger. Pitching coach Pete Walker said Scherzer felt his throwing session went "OK." It was the first time that the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer had thrown since receiving a second cortisone shot. We should know more in a couple of days based on how Scherzer is feeling. If he's cleared to progress to throwing bullpens and facing live hitters, he will eventually need to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining Toronto's starting rotation. Barring a setback, that might not be until mid- to late-May.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) threw on Tuesday and Wednesday and will visit with a doctor again on Wednesday, according to manager John Schneider. Scherzer will be visiting with a different hand specialist than the last time. The 40-year-old veteran just hasn't been able to get past a thumb issue after feeling more soreness following a throwing session late last week. It's good news that he has started throwing again, but we won't know more on a potential timeline for a return until he meets with another doctor on Wednesday. Even if the three-time Cy Young winner is cleared to start ramping up his throwing program, it seems like a good bet he won't return to Toronto's starting rotation until May. In the meantime, left-hander Easton Lucas will get more starting opportunities for fantasy managers in AL-only leagues.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) is still feeling soreness in his right thumb after throwing recently, according to manager John Schneider. Scherzer will visit with a doctor again in the coming days, at which point we should have word on how much more time the three-time Cy Young winner will have to miss. The 40-year-old made just one start for Toronto before injuring his thumb and being placed on the injured list. He received a couple of cortisone injections in his thumb in early April that at first appeared to help, but now Scherzer is back in the same situation with more soreness. Fantasy managers that took Scherzer as a value pick in drafts this spring need to stay patient, but it's looking more and more like he could be in for a lengthy absence.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) continues to be day-to-day as he works his way back from an issue with his thumb. He left his first Blue Jays' start with a lat strain which he told reporters was "100 percent" related to his thumb issue. On Friday, Scherzer e had additional imaging done in Baltimore, and everything looked normal, according to manager John Schneider. He continues to throw on flat ground but remains without a timetable to return. It looks like his return is still a ways away, but the fact that there is no structural damage is a positive sign that the issue isn't developing into anything worse that could keep him on the shelf even longer.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) threw on Monday and is still experiencing "lingering tightness" from a cortisone shot, according to Hazel Mae. "It's purely related to the injection," Scherzer said. When asked whether it was encouraging, Scherzer said, "It's good/bad." The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer will need more time before he throws again as he continues to work his way back from right-thumb inflammation. The three-time Cy Young winner dealt with thumb issues during spring training that cropped up again during his first start of the 2025 season on March 29, forcing him to the injured list. Scherzer received two cortisone shots in his thumb last week and will hopefully feel better the next time he throws. There's still no timeline for his return to Toronto's rotation, though, and Scherzer will likely need to go on at least a short minor-league rehab assignment.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) was unable to play catch on Friday. Earlier in the week, reports suggested that the 40-year-old could begin to throw on Friday. However, Scherzer will remain sidelined. Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported that the team will continue to check on the veteran right-hander daily. Scherzer was dealing with a thumb injury during camp but was cleared to make his first start of the season. His start did not last long as he was removed from the contest after throwing just three innings. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but should not expect him back in the majors for a few weeks. While Scherzer remains on the 15-day IL, Easton Lucas should continue to see starting opportunities.

After visiting with renowned hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham earlier this week and receiving a cortisone injection in each of his troublesome thumb ligaments, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) is hoping to resume throwing on Friday. "He was actually pretty surprised, based on what it was, that structurally we were in a pretty good spot," Scherzer said. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer is on the injured list for the sixth time since September of 2023 and also had cortisone injections in his thumb last September and October and responded well. Including spring training, Scherzer hasn't thrown more than 62 pitches in a game, and he came out last Saturday in his first start after tossing 45 pitches. Since he's likely to need at least one minor-league rehab start before rejoining Toronto's rotation, it's unlikely that Scherzer will be ready to come off the IL when he's eligible on April 14.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) received a cortisone shot in his right thumb to reduce swelling and pain and is now day-to-day, with his next steps to be determined on how he feels in the coming days. Scherzer, who has dealt with injuries the last few seasons, is on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2025 season and has no timeline for a return at this time. In a best-case scenario, the 40-year-old veteran will begin to feel better and be cleared to resume throwing, but even then, there's a good chance he'll be forced to miss the first month of the season as he ramps his arm back up. While Scherzer was initially looking like a value pick for the back end of fantasy rotations going into his first season with the Blue Jays, we've gotten to the point where we're now wondering how much he'll even be able to pitch in 2025. For now, keep him stashed in an IL spot until we know more.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) visited with a hand specialist on Monday to discuss his thumb inflammation that landed him on the 15-day IL. Scherzer plans to return to Toronto soon and discuss next steps with team trainers and doctors according to manager John Schneider. The 40-year-old signed a 1-year, $15.5 million contract with the Blue Jays this offseason. He has dealt with this thumb injury in the past and the recurring nature of the injury should cause some worry for fantasy managers. In his absence, expect Yariel Rodriguez to get more starts for Toronto.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) was placed on the 15-day IL with right thumb inflammation. Scherzer was removed early from Saturday's contest after throwing just three innings. Initial reports suggested that it was due to a lat injury, but it appears a previous thumb injury has resurfaced. He dealt with this injury during camp as well and will now miss at least the next 15 days. In a corresponding move, the Blue Jays promoted left-handed pitcher Easton Lucas from Triple-A Buffalo. Earlier in the winter, the Blue Jays signed Scherzer to a one-year contract worth $15.5 million. While Scherzer remains sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Yariel Rodriguez to see opportunities in the rotation.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (lat) was pulled from Saturday's contest due to lat soreness. Scherzer was only able to log three innings before exiting. He tossed three innings of two-run ball. He allowed two solo shots, one to outfielder Colton Cowser and one to infielder Jordan Westburg. Fantasy managers should monitor Scherzer's status leading up to his next start, as he may need to miss time. During camp, he was dealing with a thumb injury and was even in danger of missing his start on Saturday. Last season, the 40-year-old battled numerous injuries, as he logged just 43 1/3 innings of work with a 3.95 ERA. Yariel Rodriguez would likely see opportunities in the rotation if he were to miss time.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) is "still going in the right direction," and the team expects him to make his first start of the regular season this Saturday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles, according to manager John Schneider. Scherzer is going to avoid starting the 2025 campaign on the injured list, although fantasy managers will surely be hesitant to use him in their starting lineups this weekend against a good offense with a potential innings limit. In his final Grapefruit League start, the 40-year-old hurler tossed 62 pitches. Even if his thumb holds up well in his first regular-season start, the Blue Jays might be cautious with his workload, thus lowering his fantasy ceiling in a scary matchup. The future Hall of Famer is as injury-prone as ever at this point in his career, but when healthy, he still has the stuff to serve as a decent back-end fantasy starter.

Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet reports that Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer's thumb responded well to his 62-pitch Grapefruit League outing against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. The 40-year-old pitched four shutout innings, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out four. Scherzer has been battling a thumb injury but appears to be progressing. If he experiences no setbacks, the former first-round pick is slated to pitch in the team's third contest against the Baltimore Orioles next Saturday. Scherzer is an intriguing late-round arm in fantasy drafts, selected on average just inside the top 300 players. While he may not be the same dominant pitcher he was in the past, the veteran could return some value if he can stave off injuries in 2025.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) will start the team's Grapefruit League game on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, according to Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling. Scherzer asked to make the two-hour road trip to Fort Myers because he wanted to face major-league hitters. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer has been dealing with a nagging right-thumb injury in spring training, but he looked good during a bullpen session on Thursday and is now ready to test his finger in game action and is looking to throw around 60-65 pitches against Minnesota. If Scherzer avoids a setback with his thumb, he should be ready for Opening Day next Thursday. While Scherzer was initially looking like a late-round value pitch as fantasy rotation depth, his thumb injury might have a lot of fantasy managers pumping the brakes.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) threw a bullpen session in camp on Thursday and said afterwards that the plan is for him to pitch in a game on Saturday, assuming his thumb recovers normally. Manager John Schneider said they would ideally like Scherzer to throw 65 to 70 pitches this weekend. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer continues to be bothered by a right-thumb injury this spring, but he's pushing through it and could be ready for the start of his first season in Toronto if he makes it through his outing this Saturday without any issues. While the eight-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner had been somewhat of a value pick as rotation depth for much of the spring, his thumb injury reminds us that there's still plenty of injury risk surrounding the aging pitcher. Scherzer is just inside RotoBaller's top-100 rankings for starting pitchers.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that right-hander Max Scherzer (thumb) felt "probably a little bit better than I think I expected" on Tuesday, but that the veteran hurler is still very much day-to-day as the team manages his thumb issue. Toronto is holding out hope that Scherzer can pitch in a game this weekend. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer has been dealing with a right-thumb injury and is working with a hand specialist as he tries to prepare for the start of his first year with the Blue Jays. The three-time Cy Young winner, eight-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion can still be useful as rotation depth in fantasy leagues, but durability has become a big factor for him as he nears the end of his fantastic career. RotoBaller currently has him ranked as the No. 93 fantasy starter, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him open the year on the injured list.

Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports that Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) is still battling pain in his thumb. Reports from Toronto noted that the 40-year-old threw a successful session on Friday and suffered no setbacks. However, Scherzer's thumb ailment reportedly traces all the way back to 2023. "My thumb hurts. It hurts to grip the ball," said Scherzer. "Unfortunately, this is what I've been dealing with since 2023." The former first-round pick had pitched well thus far in the spring before being bothered by his thumb, accruing a 2.00 ERA and 0.33 WHIP across nine innings. While it appears he's on track to rejoin the Jays' rotation sooner than later, fantasy managers may want to exhibit caution when considering him in drafts, as it seems like the thumb issue could continue to linger.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb) is set to throw in a minor-league game "in the next day or two." If Scherzer performs well, he should be on track to be ready for Opening Day. Earlier in camp, Scherzer was scratched from a start due to minor thumb soreness. However, given this report, it appears Scherzer should be in a good position to be ready for Opening Day. During the winter, the Blue Jays signed the right-hander to a one-year $15.5 million contract. Last season, Scherzer was limited by numerous injuries as he logged just 43 1/3 innings. He posted a 3.95 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP. In 2023, Scherzer tossed 152 2/3 innings with a 3.77 ERA and a strong 1.12 WHIP. Fantasy managers should view the 40-year-old as a solid late-round starting pitcher that should provide solid strikeout upside while improving your WHIP ratio.