The Detroit Tigers have been blessed to have a plethora of all-time greats walk through their clubhouse, including Max Scherzer. The eight-time All-Star righty spent many of his early MLB years in the Motor City, which included his first-ever Cy Young win during the 2013 season.
Scherzer's time in Detroit ended in 2014, though, and the ex-Tigers ace has since spent time with the Washington Nationals, L.A. Dodgers, New York Mets, and Texas Rangers before joining the Toronto Blue Jays for the 2025 season. Unfortunately, the 40-year-old righty hasn't appeared since Opening Day due to a right thumb injury.
It's never fun to see a former Tiger injured, which is why Detroit fans will be happy to know their former ace just took one step closer to returning to action.
Former Tigers RHP Max Scherzer Begins Blue Jays Rehab Stint, Will Start Friday vs. Triple-A Columbus
On Wednesday, the Blue Jays announced that Scherzer has been cleared to begin his rehab stint. Fans won't have to wait long to see the two-time World Series-winning righty either, as Scherzer is set to start for Triple-A Buffalo in Friday's matchup against the Columbus Clippers.
According to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith on Monday, Scherzer is expected to throw "60-65" pitches against the Clippers. Nicholson-Smith added that the former Tigers starter will "likely need" at least a pair of rehab starts before rejoining the Blue Jays' rotation.
Hopefully, whenever he returns to the MLB stage, Scherzer performs better than he did at the beginning of the season. He was shellshocked by the Baltimore Orioles in his Blue Jays debut on March 29, surrendering two home runs on a trio of hits in three innings during the 9-5 loss.
Tigers fans know how good Scherzer can be when he's on top of his game, leaving time to tell if he can return to form. In his five seasons spent in Detroit (2010-14), the former Missouri Tiger went 82-35 with a 3.52 ERA and 1,081 strikeouts across 1,013 innings, making a pair of All-Star appearances while also taking home the 2013 American League Cy Young Award.
If Scherzer can remain healthy, it won't be long before he gets a chance to face his former team. The Tigers will host the Blue Jays for a four-game series at Comerica Park beginning on July 24, giving the ex-Detroit ace just over a month to prepare for the reunion.