Veteran right-hander Max Scherzer made a successful return from the injured list on his 42nd birthday, helping the Toronto Blue Jays defeat the Washington Nationals 3-2 in the opening game of their three-game series.
Making his first appearance since April, Scherzer allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts over 2.2 innings, receiving standing ovations from Nationals fans before and after his outing. Six Blue Jays relievers combined to preserve the victory, with Louis Varland earning his 22nd save.
Toronto’s offense was led by Luis Urías, who hit a solo home run, while Ernie Clement added an RBI double and Myles Straw delivered the game-winning RBI single.
Despite improving to 49-58, the Blue Jays remain below .500 and face uncertainty ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline, with several veterans, including Scherzer and George Springer, attracting interest from other clubs. Both players, however, said they remain focused on helping Toronto win rather than speculating about potential trades.
Scherzer also moved closer to another career milestone, recording his 3,507th strikeout, leaving him just eight strikeouts behind Walter Johnson for 10th place on Major League Baseball’s all-time strikeout list.
