Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer, centre, is surrounded by teammates as he gets pulled from the game on Sunday, as the Jays fell to the visiting Minnesota Twins.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
The Twins tattooed Max Scherzer on Sunday for an 8-2 victory as the Blue Jays lost their fourth straight series since sweeping the Athletics on the opening weekend of the season. Scherzer, the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer gave up all eight runs in just 2 1/3 innings.
The eight runs are the most he has allowed since June 17, 2014 against Kansas City while a member of the Detroit Tigers. He threw 68 pitches to 15 batters, allowed two home runs, walked two and hit one other as he fell to 1-2.
In a matter of about an hour his earned run average ballooned from 3.38 to 9.58.
“His stuff was there but his execution wasn’t,” manager John Schneider said. “It was uncharacteristic of him.”
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Scherzer lasted only two innings in his previous start against Los Angeles, after which it was announced that he was bothered by tendinitis in his right forearm.
Schneider said he receives daily status updates from Scherzer and that the right-hander said he was good to go on Sunday.
“He is someone you trust,” Schneider said.
Scherzer said he did not feel any pain before the game and believes he will be able to avoid going on the injured list. Toronto currently has 10 players out injured.
“Today I got beat on walks and wrong execution,” he said. “I paid for it and I am accountable. Tomorrow will be a big day when it comes to how I feel coming out of the outing. Those things have a mind of their own sometimes.”
Minnesota Twins second baseman Kody Clemens's home run helped open things up for his team on Sunday, as they rolled to an 8-2 win.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Toronto had a dozen hits but left 12 runners on base. It went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position, and is 1-for-20 with the bases loaded this season. It went 2-4 on this home stand and now travels to Milwaukee for a three-game series with the Brewers. Following that the Blue Jays have six more games on the road versus Arizona and the L.A. Angels.
“The home stand wasn’t great, disappointing really,” Schneider said. “When you are playing at home you want to win more than we did obviously. It was not ideal by any means.”
In the morning Toronto placed designed hitter George Springer on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left toe. He sustained the injury on Saturday when he hit a foul ball off of it. Eloy Jiménez was called up from AAA-Buffalo as a replacement and delivered two singles on Sunday.
Taj Bradley (3-0) gave up a lead-off double to Ernie Clement and a run-scoring single to Daulton Varsho in the bottom of the first inning. He scattered five hits over the next four innings with four walks and seven strikeouts as Minnesota took control of the contest.
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It scored three times in the second, with the big hit a 396-foot three-run home run by Tristan Gray. It added five in the third as Scherzer imploded. The first five runners reached base, beginning with Kody Clemens, who led off with a homer.
Scherzer has been raked for four in just 10 1/3rd innings.
There were a few good signs. Clement went 3-for-5 and scored both Toronto runs. Varsho went 3-for-5 as well. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had one hit in five plate appearances but reached base three times. The bullpen came in and threw 6 2/3rds scoreless innings.
On the other hand, Nathan Lukes went 0-for-4 and is now 2-for-26 on the season (.077). Between them, Lukes and the injured Addison Barger are 3-for-45.
In all, the Blue Jays have lost seven of their last nine outings and are 6-9 overall. Tampa Bay, New York and Baltimore are tied for first in the American League East Division, each with an 8-7 mark.
“Everybody has to look in the mirror to see what they can do to be better,” Scherzer said. “There is no feeling sorry for yourself. This is the big leagues. There are no excuses in this game.”