The Blue Jays had a plan—until reality threw a fastball at their pitching depth. With millions invested in a supposed rotation anchor, the team now finds itself scrambling for answers far earlier than expected. As bullpen struggles pile up and depth concerns grow louder, the front office must confront an uncomfortable truth: Wishful thinking doesn’t win games.
As of now, Max Scherzer is being considered to be put on the IL after the games against the Orioles.
During the game against the Baltimore Orioles, Max Scherzer had to be taken off after pitching just 3 innings. The injury is said to be a lat soreness. According to the three-time Cy Young winner, this is “100 percent related to the thumb” injury he suffered during the spring training games. Scherzer during the interview also said, “I’ve got to get this 100 percent before I pitch again.”
With elite pitchers like Erik Swanson and Alek Manoah on the IL, the bullpen is already under pressure. And now, adding Scherzer to that list will only make things worse. Maybe the Blue Jays can still look at doing some roster moves before the next game.
When asked about this, Manager John Schneider had a 2-word response. “We’ll see.”
There are some good alternatives like Yariel Rodriguez & Eric Lauer, but it will be a big task for them to fill the shoes of Scherzer. But Toronto will need one of their pitchers to step up and take the task head-on. The team had a good option in Ryan Yarbrough, who would have been crucial at a time like this. However, they decided not to give him a contract, and now he is with the Yankees.
Even if another pitcher steps up, the relief pitchers have not done their job very well. Richard Lovelady, who took over the game from Scherzer, had no control over the mound and earned 4 runs in the one inning pitched. The next guy, Jacob Barnes, also gave away 2 runs in the 1.1 innings he pitched. This shows that the Bullpen is not close to what it should be, and the cracks are beginning to show.
If the bullpen was supposed to be the safety net, it’s got more holes than a worn-out catcher’s mitt. With Scherzer potentially sidelined and replacements far from reassuring, the Blue Jays are staring down a harsh reality—depth isn’t just a luxury, it’s a necessity. The front office can hope for a miracle, but hope doesn’t throw strikes.
After a bullpen struggle, the Blue Jays call up Mason Fluharty to strengthen their rotation
The Blue Jays bullpen has been leaking runs like a sinking ship, and desperate times call for fresh arms. Enter Mason Fluharty, the latest hope in Toronto’s revolving-door pitching strategy. With Richard Lovelady shown the exit after a meltdown, Fluharty now steps into the fire. Will he stabilize the chaos, or is this just another band-aid fix?
The pitching rotation has gotten so bad for the Blue Jays that they are calling their top prospects early. After Max Scherzer got injured and was taken off, Richard Lovelady took the mound. That outing for him was a total disaster. And after that performance, it looks like the management has had enough.
They selected Mason Fluharty to replace Lovelady, who was actually assigned the task of handling the bullpen. When asked about this decision, Schneider said, “Mason’s opened a lot of our eyes, especially this year, but going back to last year and then kind of turning the corner in spring. Excited for him to get this opportunity.”
If Fluharty has indeed “opened a lot of eyes,” the Blue Jays better hope he also closes a lot of innings. With the bullpen running on fumes and the rotation looking like a patchwork experiment, his debut isn’t just an opportunity—it’s a necessity. The question is, will he be the solution or just the next name on the call-up carousel?
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