Max Scherzer hits another milestone as Blue Jays’ Wild Card push intensifies

When Max Scherzer struck out Cal Raleigh in the seventh inning Sunday afternoon, passing Gaylord Perry for ninth place on Major League Baseball’s all-time strikeout list, it gave the sold-out Rogers Centre crowd another chance to recognize one of the greatest pitchers of his generation.

It was strikeout number 3,535 of Scherzer's career. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer has achieved several milestones this season, including reaching 3,000 innings pitched. But as always, the focus for Scherzer wasn't really about the individual milestone, he was more focused on the bigger picture for the team, winning games with the Toronto Blue Jays' playoff lives on the line.

"This is what you play for, this is what’s fun,” Scherzer told reporters after the game. “When you’re in the hunt, you have to win. The pressure is on. You have to go out there and do something about it. I love these moments. We’re in a fight and we have to fight all the way until the end.”

This is the kind of single game performance the Blue Jays have been waiting for all season out of someone not named Dylan Cease. A performance from one of their star players who could come through in the clutch. Scherzer did exactly that with 10 strikeouts, and allowing only one hit and one walk while the Blue Jays shut out the Mariners 7-0.

“We need these wins right now,” Scherzer said. “To go out and deliver feels great.” The win moves them to 68-70 on the year, 1.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot, currently held by the Cleveland Guardians (69-68) who the Blue Jays will visit for a three game set, starting on Tuesday (Sept. 1).

That is the story. Not the nostalgia. Not only the standing ovation. Not even the climb past another Hall of Famer. The Blue Jays needed a win, needed a sweep and needed someone to rise to the occasion. Scherzer did that - coming through on a Sunday, the first time the Blue Jays have won on a Sunday since they beat the Baltimore Orioles6-4 on Jun. 4. It was also the first sweep at home since March, when they beat the Athletics in three straight to open up the season.

The Blue Jays have the second best record in the American League since the end of July. They are 20-12 since Jul. 27, behind only the Tampa Bay Rays - but in that time, they've only managed to win three straight games twice, and they never completed a sweep. They seemingly have some momentum now, heading into a crucial stretch.

Blue Jays' bats starting to show some consistency with Alejandro Kirk leading the way

The offence did its part around Scherzer. Alejandro Kirk’s first-inning homer gave Toronto control of the game right out of the gates. Kazuma Okamoto continued to supply badly needed power with his team-leading 28th home run. George Springer helped keep pressure on Seattle during a productive stretch at the plate, he went 7-for-11 in the series with a home run, and added two more hits and a run scored on Sunday. Those contributions need to keep happening because the Blue Jays cannot afford to waste quality starts.

Now, with September arriving and a pivotal series in Cleveland waiting after Monday’s off-day, the Blue Jays have to hope this can be the turning point they've waited for all year. If Scherzer can keep giving the Blue Jays competitive starts, and Kirk and co. can keep the lineup rolling, then Toronto suddenly looks like a credible postseason threat.

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