Scherzer was removed from his start Saturday against the Orioles due to right lat soreness, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca reports.

EDGE Analysis

Scherzer had been hoping to reach around 80 pitches during his first start of the season, but he was forced out of the game after just 45 pitches across three innings of two-run ball. Although the team attributed his removal to a lat issue, the veteran righty said after the game that "this is 100 percent related to the thumb," per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. Scherzer's thumb has been an issue since spring training, and he added that he was in "imminent danger" of doing more damage to it if he were to go back out for the fourth inning. Scherzer and the team will likely want to make sure his thumb and lat are no longer issues before he makes his next start, which could mean a trip to the injured list is coming.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Wednesday that Scherzer (thumb) is "still going in the right direction," and the team expects him to be ready to start Saturday against the Orioles, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

EDGE Analysis

Scherzer dealt with a nagging right thumb injury this spring, but he's been trending in a positive direction of late and is in line to take his first turn in Toronto's rotation. He threw 62 pitches in his final Grapefruit League start, so Scherzer should be capable of throwing 80 or so Saturday as long as the thumb issue doesn't flare up again.

Scherzer's thumb responded well to Saturday's 62-pitch start against the Twins in the Grapefruit League, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. Scherzer went four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out four.

EDGE Analysis

The future Hall of Famer looks to be in the clear for the start of the regular season after a right thumb injury brought his availability into question earlier in the week. He will likely slot in as the No. 3 starter in Toronto behind Jose Berrios and Kevin Gausman to begin 2025, putting him on track for a home start against the Orioles on Saturday in his team debut. Scherzer figures to have some minor workload restrictions early on given where he is with his pitch count, plus the fact he begins to have issues gripping the ball with his thumb after reaching 50 pitches or so.

Scherzer (thumb) will start Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.

EDGE Analysis

Scherzer's right thumb bounced back well from Thursday's bullpen session, officially clearing the way for him to return to Grapefruit League action. He is targeting 60-to-65 pitches Saturday and, as long as he doesn't have a setback with the thumb that day or Sunday, will be ready to roll for the start of the regular season.

Scherzer (thumb) said Thursday that he's tentatively lined up to pitch in a game Saturday, Jayson Stark of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Scherzer got through a bullpen session Thursday without any apparent issues, but he will have to wait and see how his right thumb recovers before he's cleared to pitch Saturday. If he is able to take the ball this weekend, the goal is to get up to the 65-to-70 pitch count, which would set him up to be ready to make his first start of the regular season.

Scherzer (thumb) will throw another bullpen session Thursday and hopes to pitch in a game this weekend, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Scherzer and the Blue Jays remain hopeful that the veteran right-hander will be ready to go on Opening Day, but they'll have to wait and see how his sore thumb responds. The 40-year-old has been excellent this spring when on the bump, yielding just two runs with a 14:0 K:BB in nine innings.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Tuesday that he's hopeful Scherzer (thumb) can pitch in a game this weekend, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Scherzer is dealing with a nagging right thumb issue that, according to Schneider, felt "probably a little bit better than I think he expected" Tuesday. The pitcher has said the injury begins to flare up on him around 50 pitches, but he's trying to get a better handle on it while working with a hand specialist, doctors and trainers. Scherzer is considered day-to-day.

Scherzer said after starting in a minor-league game Monday that his right thumb still "hurts," Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. "It hurts to grip the ball," Scherzer said, adding that the thumb has been giving him problems once he gets to around 50 pitches in spring outings.

EDGE Analysis

The pitcher also noted that the thumb is "absolutely critical to your arm health" and implied that he's had problems with it "since 2023." What this all means for Scherzer's outlook is not yet clear. He is working with a hand specialist, doctors and trainers and expects to know more about his status within the next couple days. If Scherzer needs time on the injured list to begin the season, Yariel Rodriguez could step into the Blue Jays' rotation.

Scherzer (thumb) will throw in a minor-league game early this week, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Scherzer was scratched from Thursday's Grapefruit League start against the Orioles due to right thumb soreness. An MRI came back negative, and he remain on track to be ready for Opening Day. Across three spring games, Scherzer has allowed two runs on three hits while striking out 14 over nine innings.

Scherzer resumed playing catch Thursday after an MRI on his right thumb didn't show anything alarming, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Scherzer developed right thumb soreness following his last Grapefruit League outing and was scratched from a scheduled start Thursday. However, he'll throw a bullpen session Friday or Saturday and should be able to make another spring start not long after that. Scherzer has been superb in nine frames this spring, yielding just two runs with a 14:0 K:BB.