Max Scherzer probably should have just made his final start for the Blue Jays

3,500 strikeouts! An impressive accomplish that only 10 other pitchers has ever accomplished in the history of MLB. On Wed. June 10, Max Scherzer joined that fraternity by becoming the 11th member of the 3500 strikeout club. On a 1-2 pitch to the first batter of the game, Scherzer struck out Philadelphia Phillies lead off hitter Kyle Schwarber on an 85.5 mph changeup to make history.

And that's just about where the good vibes ended for Scherzer during the Blue Jays' 7-4 loss in the series finale against the NL East club. Scherzer would last 3.1 innings while allowing five runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out four batters but allowed two home runs which continues a frustrating trend for the future Hall of Famer in 2026.

Scherzer was returning injury, originally placed on the IL at the end of April. This was his sixth start of the season and he's only managed to get through the fourth inning twice in those appearances. He's run his ERA up to 10.23 which is not just the highest in a single season in his career, it's also the highest in MLB for pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched this season.

Scherzer also finds himself leading the league in HR/9 rate at 4.09 and his pitches just don't have the same deceptiveness they used to. His Stuff+ is only rated at 90 and his Location+ is 99. Scherzer will soon be 42-years-old and it feels like father time may have finally caught up with him.

The Blue Jays may not be able to give Scherzer another start

The Blue Jays aren't where they thought they would be this season. They are fading faster and faster out of the chase for the AL East division title race and while their Wild Card hopes remain very much alive, this doesn't feel like a team that deserves to be in a playoff series at this point.

Yes the team is getting healthier and should be able to string together more effective games more consistently, but whether Scherzer is apart of that plan remains to be seen. The Blue Jays find themsleves in a bit of a tough spot with what to do with Scherzer though.

It's not a great look to DFA a guy that is going into the Hall of Fame. His presence was also integral to the team's morale and camaraderie in their run to the World Series a year ago. But his performance on the field isn't helping them get closer to reaching those heights again.

The Blue Jays could be getting Shane Bieber back very soon and that means they will need to create room on the roster for him. The Blue Jays also have at least four better options in the rotation currently than Scherzer. Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage and Patrick Corbin have all fared much better than Scherzer has - you can also throw Spencer Miles into that conversation as well.

He's reached the milestone, and has already cemented himself as one of the greatest ever to play this game. But accolades can only go so far during the present, and the Blue Jays, in their present state, are in need of much better results.

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