Scherzer sets the tone for Toronto in crucial Game 4
In a series that had begun to tilt toward Seattle, Max Scherzer reminded the Blue Jays and their fans that post-season baseball can pivot in a heartbeat. After missing most of the ALDS and returning from a 3½-week layoff with a neck issue, Scherzer delivered a vintage performance that steadied Toronto and punctured Seattle’s early momentum.
Facing a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-seven ALCS, the Blue Jays leaned on their future Hall of Famer to slow a Mariners squad that looked primed to seize control. Scherzer, who was left off the ALDS roster due to recent struggles and health concerns, came back with a purpose — a no‑nonsense, efficiently executed outing that spanned 5.2 innings and yielded just two runs on three hits with four walks and five punchouts. It was a reminder that, even with rust lingering, his competitiveness can tilt a game in a heartbeat.
Mission: keep Seattle within reach
From the first inning, Scherzer set the tone, firing a 96.5 mph fastball to Cal Raleigh and then using an effective mix to navigate around a couple of walks. The Mariners scratched a run in the second when Josh Naylor opened the frame with a homer, but Toronto’s offense quickly shifted the balance. Isiah Kiner-Falefa started the two-run inning with a double, and Andres Gimenez lined a pivotal slider into the right-field seats for a 2-1 lead. A Daulton Varsho bases-loaded walk, an RBI double by George Springer, and a wild pitch from Matt Brash extended the advantage to 5-1 by the fourth.
Offense comes alive, and Scherzer answers the bell
The Blue Jays continued to hammer away at Luis Castillo, turning on the aggression with timely hits and a patient approach. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined the party with a seventh-inning homer to keep Seattle’s hopes in check, while Gimenez added a two-run single in the eighth to pad Toronto’s cushion. But the night clearly belonged to Scherzer, whose on-mound persona — part fire, part focus — delivered a message as loud as the scoreboard. In the fifth, as manager John Schneider approached the mound late, Scherzer’s loud “no” and the ensuing stare-down became a defining image of a pitcher who refuses to back down in October.
What the moment meant for Toronto
Pedigree and timing aligned for the Blue Jays. With Scherzer thriving after the layoff and the bullpen closing the door behind him, Toronto reclaimed the initiative in a series that could have slipped away. Pitching coach Pete Walker emphasized how the veteran’s drive and the way he embraces pressure reflect the caliber of player Toronto believes they have on staff. “He really enjoys this team and he wants to win for this team,” Walker said, acknowledging that Scherzer’s late entry into the series helped stabilize a rotation that needed him.
A shift in the series dynamics
What started as a potential quick exit for Toronto is now a best-of-three heading back to Toronto for Game 5. Kevin Gausman and Bryce Miller are slated for the pivotal matchup in Game 5, a rematch that has suddenly become a focal point of the series. The Blue Jays’ offense showed depth — Gimenez’s big swing, Guerrero’s late homer, and timely baserunning in clutch moments — while Scherzer offered a blueprint for how veteran leadership can guide a team through postseason pressure.
Looking ahead
As the series returns to Toronto with the momentum shifted, the Blue Jays carry a familiar sense of opportunity. The Mariners, still dangerous at the plate and in the field, will look to bounce back behind a rotation that has held them through much of the postseason. And for Toronto, the sight of Scherzer gritting through a crucial start adds another chapter to a postseason narrative that could well hinge on the ability of seasoned stars to deliver when it matters most.
