Max Scherzer gave John Schneider the rotation update Toronto needed, and Dylan Cease is suddenly right behind him.
Scherzer threw 73 pitches over 3 2/3 innings in his second rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, which is the type of workload that starts pointing a veteran back to the big leagues.
The box score was messy, but that is not the part Toronto cared about most. Scherzer averaged 93.4 mph on his fastball and topped out at 95.7, strong signs for a pitcher coming off forearm and ankle trouble.
Cease's own rehab line looked rough, too, after he allowed 5 runs in 4 innings. Still, he reached 75 pitches on June 4, and the Blue Jays' injury tracker says he could very likely return for his next start.
That is why the schedule matters. Toronto has Kevin Gausman lined up for Sunday, then lists Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday against Philadelphia as to be determined.
Those open turns are not just a paperwork issue. The Blue Jays are 31-34, and too many games lately have started with the bullpen already hovering over the lineup card.
Scherzer has been out since April 27 with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation, and MLB still lists his return window as early-to-mid June. That makes this timing feel less hopeful and more real.
Toronto's rotation finally has real help on deck
Cease is working on a shorter clock. He went on the 15-day injured list on May 25 with a mild left hamstring strain, and Toronto's official update now points to a return as soon as his next turn.
The need is obvious. MLB's Blue Jays coverage notes that José Berrios, Cody Ponce and Bowden Francis are all on the injured list, which has left the club chasing innings more than lining up a steady rotation.
That is a rough way to head into a home series with the Phillies, then a Yankees set right after. Toronto does not need another patchwork week on the mound if it can help it.
Scherzer does not have to look like vintage Mad Max right away. Cease does not need a perfect first game back, either. The Blue Jays just need two real starters who can take the ball and keep the middle innings from turning into a scramble.
That is why this moment lands so well for Toronto. Max Scherzer looks lined up to give the Blue Jays their first rotation lift, and Dylan Cease may be just one turn behind him.
Will Max Scherzer and Dylan Cease steady Toronto's rotation right away?
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