The 2026 Major League Baseball season has seen an unprecedented amount of injuries throughout the league, and while there’s no excuses for teams, it’s safe to say that all of these injuries have no doubt impacted the post-season races in both leagues.
One team that’s been effected more than others is the Toronto Blue Jays, and after falling short of their World Series goal at the last hurdle in 2025, many believed they could take that final step in 2026. However, that has not been the case, and the team has battled injury throughout the year, and unfortunately as the second half begins, they’ve been dealt with another major blow as their woes continue.
Max Scherzer’s Rehab Stint put on Hold
GettyMax Scherzer of the Toronto Blue Jays.
One player that’s been in and out of the Blue Jays rotation this year due to injury is Max Scherzer, as he’s now in the midst of his second Injured List stint of the 2026 season, with his year also defined by his struggles on the mound.
The 41-year-old was hoping to return to the team soon after not pitching in the Major Leagues since early June, but unfortunately, his latest stint has been put on pause due to health issues once again. According to manager John Schneider, Scherzer’s latest stint has been paused due to needing three cortisone injections in his right thumb, and while he won’t be out for long, it’s another setback to frustrate Scherzer, the organization and their fans.
On the positive side of things, Schneider noted that Scherzer will look to resume throwing again in the next few days, and while this may result in just his rehab stint being extended by just a few days, it’s still not ideal for a team that’s dealt with too many injury issues in their rotation early in the season. Before his latest IL stint, Scherzer’s numbers look the worst of his iconic career to date, as he’s posted a 10.23 ERA across 22.0 innings of work, with the strikeouts (14) down and walks (11) up from what we’ve come to know throughout his two decades long career.
Can the Blue Jays Turn it Around in the Second Half?
Unfortunately, Scherzer is just one of many Blue Jays that have been injured throughout the first half of the season, and as a result, the team are currently sitting at 45-51, good for last place in the highly competitive American League East.
On top of this Scherzer news, there’s also been updates on Anthony Santander, Addison Barger, Yimi Garcia and Jesus Sanchez, and unfortunately, none are expected to return to the Blue Jays in the immediate future, making their season tougher as things go on. Ultimately, this is likely Scherzer’s last season at the big league level, and given how hard he’s working to get back, he will make his way back to Toronto at some point, and for them to replicate their success of 2026, they’ll need him and many others back to 100% as quick as possible.
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