Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer to seek additional medical opinions on forearm

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer is not making progress in recovering from right forearm tendinitis and will seek additional medical opinions.

A 41-year-old right-hander, the three-time Cy Young Award winner was put on the injured list on April 27 because of the forearm injury and left ankle inflammation, a move retroactive to April 25. He had a light throwing session Wednesday before Toronto’s 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay.

“It’s as confusing as anything I’ve ever had because, usually, if you go get an MRI, you would see something,” Scherzer said. “I would think that would show up, and yet there’s nothing in there on an MRI. There’s no strains. There is no inflammation, per se. So, I’m going to have to talk to more doctors to figure out a course of action here.”

Scherzer is 1-3 with a 9.24 ERA in five starts after signing a $3 million, one-year contract that includes $10 million in available performance bonuses for innings. He has given up seven runs or more in two of his past three starts and failed to get out of the third inning in three outings.

Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 regular-season starts last year. He also was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series with Seattle and made two starts in the World Series.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that the team will continue to be cautious with Scherzer, who says his ankle is improving.

“I think he’s just waiting (for his arm) to feel like his ankle does to really start going,” Schneider said. “There’s no real firm timetable as to when he’s going to really start getting after it. I think we’ll know more in a couple of days.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

The Associated Press