Blue Jays Facing Decision After Max Scherzer News
The Toronto Blue Jays have been dealing with a variety of injuries during the 2026 MLB season. They have had players on all parts of the diamond miss time with various ailments. This has resulted in the club struggling to stay in contention.
However, the team has been getting a lot of good news on the injury front lately. This list of soon-returning players includes Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, Alejandro Kirk and Max Scherzer.
After missing a month and a half with forearm and ankle injuries, Scherzer will be activated to start Wednesday's game versus the Phillies. His return will provide the Blue Jays with a solid five-man starting rotation for the first time in a while.
The now 19-year veteran admittedly did not have his best stuff when he was healthy in April. The stuff in question led to a 1-3 win-loss record, 9.64 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts in 18 ⅔ innings pitched.
The 41-year-old's return coincides with Cease's as well. The latter is scheduled to start Tuesday's game versus the Phillies. This will necessitate Toronto to clear two spots on the active roster.
Due to the amount of injuries that the club has sustained, there are a few tough but reasonable cuts to be made. Sportsnet reporter Ben Nicholson-Smith theorized some potential option/DFA candidates in a recent post on X.
Jays have to make 2 roster moves by tomorrow for Cease & Scherzer. Means 2 arms are coming off roster. Would've guessed SWR, but 4 IP, 0 ER yest w/ velo ↑. SWR out of options. Seabold, too. Macko has options, but NYY in on wknd = ↑ LHB. So is there an IL move? Tough call ahead.
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) June 9, 2026
SWR (Simeon Woods-Richardson) flamed out with the Minnesota Twins before being traded to the Jays for cash last week. The 25-year-old pitched well in Monday's game, so the team might want to hang on to him a bit longer.
Connor Seabold has appeared in five games for Toronto, pitching just 3 ⅓ innings. He has an 8.10 ERA and 2.40 WHIP for the club since coming over from the Detroit Tigers. This seems like it could be one of the roster cuts.
The other could very well be a "Phantom IL" move where a player goes on the IL with a suspicious injury when a team needs to open roster space. If not that, then another pitcher low down on the depth chart like Adam Macko could be on the chopping block.
Toronto is 32-35, eight games behind the American League East leader Tampa Bay Rays. With some of last year's starters coming back shortly, the club has a lot of tough moves to make.
Related: Blue Jays Facing Troubling Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Development
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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 2:15 PM.