SCHERZER NOT SATISFIED FOLLOWING REHAB START FOR BISONS

by Tony Fiorello

4.1 innings pitched, two runs on four hits allowed. Four strikeouts, no walks surrendered. 56 pitches thrown, 39 of them were strikes. Average pitch speed? 91.9 on the radar gun.

That was the stat line for three-time Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer, who made a rehab start for the Buffalo Bisons in last Friday night’s 6-5 win over the Columbus Clippers. The 40-year-old two-time World Series champion was in the City of Good Neighbors while trying to work his way back in the wake of a right thumb injury suffered in March while with the parent club Toronto Blue Jays.

While the numbers to the naked eye seemed fine, Scherzer – a likely future Hall of Famer – was glad to be playing again but knew there was more work to do to make it back to the major leagues.

“To get back out there and be in a real game competing against somebody else that's not a teammate, it's nice to face somebody else and be in a real game,” Scherzer said following his start. “You definitely take it to another level and it's a different level of competition.

“I’m on the mend here and trying to get back as fast as possible, but I'm not celebrating anything until I'm actually back in the big leagues. This thumb issue is a serious issue and I'm still not out of the woods on this, because I’ve got to be able to do this and recover at the big league level.”

Photo Gallery by Rich Rumfola/Buffalo Sports Page

Scherzer, who throws five different pitches – a four-seam fastball averaging 92-96 miles per hour, a slider (85-86), a changeup (84-85), a cutter (88-89) and a curveball (78-79) – felt that he pitched fine given the circumstances but said there was room for improvement.

“I thought I did okay. Even though I was throwing strikes, I wasn't actually getting into the exact spots I was trying to get into, and that's just feel and rhythm,” Scherzer said. “You can pitch as many simulated games as you want, but that's just not real until you're actually in a real game and where you’ve really got to put the ball where you want to. That just takes a little time, so that'll come as I get more games underneath my belt.

“It's all a test for my thumb. I know I can throw any pitch at any time – those five pitches are in my arsenal, and then to be able to go out there and pitch and sequence and change looks and hit different spots, that's pitching.”

The eight-time All-Star, who is 11th all-time in strikeouts, looked good to his new teammates on the Herd.

“I thought he was great,” infielder Riley Tirotta said. “I think with what those guys have going on up there in Toronto with all the winning they’ve been doing, and to see Max in that kind of form it looks like he’s going to help them a lot this year.”

Catcher Phil Clarke, who coordinated Scherzer’s performance from behind home plate, agreed.

“Any time you get a future Hall of Famer come in and throw for us, it’s a super cool experience for everyone in the clubhouse,” Clarke said. “Catching for a veteran like him who knows exactly what he wants to do on every pitch and has a plan for every hitter is awesome.

“Even on a Triple-A rehab start, he comes in and studies the opposing hitters. It makes your job as a catcher a little bit easier when you know that the guy on the mound has done his own research. Seeing how he goes about his business on the mound as well as inside the building has been a really fun experience.”

As of this writing, the Blue Jays are five games above .500, four games behind the New York Yankees for the division lead in the AL East and are sitting in a wild card spot. While Toronto has had success, Scherzer – who will make another rehab start on Wednesday for Buffalo – is happy for his teammates but will make sure that his body is right before rejoining them.

“I'm chomping at the bit,” Scherzer said. “I'm dying here, and I hate sitting on the IL. I want to be out there competing and helping the ballclub win as much as anybody. But I’ve got to do my work here first.

“I need to do this process right. Just build it up right and if I do, I can be back out there in the major leagues.”