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03/29/2025 03:55 PM

Max Scherzer‘s Toronto Blue Jays debut came to an end sooner than anyone would have liked.

Scherzer was lifted after the third inning of Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. He came off the field following the top of the third and was visibly frustrated speaking to Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker.

Left-handed reliever Richard Lovelady began warming in the bullpen and entered to pitch the fourth inning.

Scherzer allowed two home runs in the first, but settled in to follow with two scoreless frames. He threw just 45 pitches.

It was not immediately clear what forced him to leave the game.

The 40-year-old had been dealing with an ongoing thumb issue in spring training, but returned to pitch towards the end of Toronto’s Grapefruit League schedule, allowing him to break camp with the team.

Before the game, MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson reported that the plan was for Scherzer to throw around 80 pitches.

The three-time Cy Young winner is coming off an injury-filled 2024 with the Texas Rangers, which limited him to just nine starts.

More to come.