Blue Jays Place Max Scherzer on IL: Forearm Tendinitis and Ankle Woes Sideline the 41-Year-Old Ace

The piano keys may have to wait. After a brief, music-fueled resurgence that carried the Toronto Blue Jays into the 2025 postseason, veteran right-hander Max Scherzer has hit another sour note. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was officially placed on the 15-day injured list Monday, April 27, with a diagnosis of right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation. The move, announced by the club prior to their series opener against the Oakland Athletics, raises serious questions about whether the 41-year-old can sustain any semblance of his former dominance.

This latest IL stint comes on the heels of a historically brutal outing. On April 24 against the Milwaukee Brewers, Scherzer was shelled for seven earned runs over just 2⅔ innings. The performance was so catastrophic that it dropped his season ERA to a staggering 9.64 through five starts. More jarring than the crooked numbers, however, was the missed milestone. Scherzer entered that game needing just one strikeout to become only the second pitcher in the last 24 years to reach 3,500 career strikeouts. He failed to record a single whiff. Zero. The milestone remains tantalizingly out of reach.

The Piano Man’s Magic Runs Out

Scherzer’s 2025 season has been a study in contrasts. He started the year crediting an unusual off-field routine—playing the piano—with unlocking a stretch of elite health and performance that carried Toronto into the playoffs. The narrative was compelling: a future Hall of Famer, defying Father Time with ivory-tickling therapy. But the music has stopped. The forearm tendinitis is the most concerning development. For a pitcher who relies on elite velocity and torque-inducing mechanics, any irritation in the forearm is a red flag. It often precedes more serious elbow issues.

“When you see a forearm issue in a 41-year-old pitcher, you have to worry about the structural integrity of the elbow,” says former MLB pitching coach and current analyst Rick Peterson. “The fact that he couldn’t get a single strikeout in his last start suggests he was protecting something. That’s not Max Scherzer. He attacks. He didn’t attack in Milwaukee.”

The ankle inflammation is a secondary concern, but it’s equally problematic for a pitcher who needs a stable base to drive toward home plate. A compromised lower half often leads to arm fatigue and mechanical breakdowns—exactly the kind of cascade that leads to the forearm soreness he’s now nursing.

Breaking Down the Injury: What the Blue Jays Are Losing

The Blue Jays signed Scherzer in the 2024 offseason expecting a veteran innings-eater who could mentor a young rotation. Instead, they’ve gotten a pitcher who has been virtually unusable. Here’s a statistical snapshot of his 2025 campaign before the IL stint:

• 5 starts, 15.1 innings pitched
• 9.64 ERA (worst among qualified MLB starters)
• 0 strikeouts in his final start (first time in his career he failed to record a K in a start of 2+ innings)
• 7 earned runs allowed in 2⅔ innings on April 24
• 1 strikeout away from 3,500 career Ks (currently at 3,499)

The loss of Scherzer isn’t just about the raw numbers. It’s about the domino effect on a Blue Jays bullpen that has been taxed heavily in April. Toronto manager John Schneider now has to patch together a rotation spot for at least two weeks. The leading internal candidates are Bowden Francis, who has been stretched out in Triple-A, and Yariel Rodríguez, who has shown flashes of brilliance but struggles with command.

“We’ve got to be smart here,” Schneider told reporters after the IL move. “Max is a competitor. He wants to pitch. But we can’t have him going out there at 50 percent. We need the real Max Scherzer, or we need to protect him. Right now, protection wins.”

Expert Analysis: Is This the End of the Road?

Let’s be honest: the 2025 version of Max Scherzer is a shell of the pitcher who dominated the National League for a decade. His fastball velocity has dipped to an average of 92.4 mph, down from 95.1 mph as recently as 2022. His strikeout rate has plummeted to 5.2 K/9—a far cry from the 11.0 K/9 he posted during his prime. The forearm tendinitis is a classic sign of a pitcher whose body is failing to keep up with the demands of elite competition.

However, writing off Scherzer entirely would be premature. This is a pitcher who has reinvented himself multiple times. He added a cutter in 2023. He changed his delivery in 2024. He credits piano playing for mental clarity in 2025. The man is a relentless tinkerer. The question is whether his 41-year-old body can respond to one more adjustment.

“The forearm is a tricky area,” says Dr. James Andrews’ protégé, Dr. Michael Collins, a sports medicine specialist. “Tendinitis can be managed with rest, anti-inflammatories, and rehab. But if there’s any underlying structural damage—a partial tear of the flexor pronator mass—this could be a season-ender. The fact that the Blue Jays went with a 15-day IL rather than a 60-day suggests optimism, but we’ve seen that optimism fade quickly with older pitchers.”

Prediction: Scherzer will miss at least four weeks, not two. Even if the forearm responds to rest, the ankle inflammation needs full resolution before he can drive off the rubber. Look for a return in late May at the earliest. And when he returns, expect a diminished pitcher. He may need to become a “crafty veteran” who relies on location and pitch sequencing rather than velocity and swing-and-miss stuff.

The Unfinished Business: 3,500 Strikeouts

Perhaps the most poignant element of this story is the missed milestone. Scherzer entered the April 24 start needing one strikeout to join Justin Verlander (3,403 and counting) as the only pitchers in the last 24 years to reach 3,500. He was facing a Brewers lineup that included rookie infielders and a struggling Gary Sanchez behind the plate. It seemed like a foregone conclusion.

Instead, Scherzer allowed a leadoff double, a walk, a two-run homer, and then a parade of hard-hit balls. He never got to the milestone. Now, with the IL stint, he’ll have to wait at least two weeks to try again. The mental toll of that failure cannot be overstated for a pitcher as competitive as Scherzer.

“He was furious after that game,” a team source told reporters anonymously. “Not at anyone else. At himself. He knew something was wrong with his arm, but he tried to push through it. That’s Max. He thinks he can will himself through anything. But you can’t will away a tendon.”

The milestone is still within reach. Scherzer needs just one strikeout in his next start after the IL stint. But the question is whether he’ll ever be the same pitcher again. The 3,500th strikeout will come—perhaps against a weak-hitting Oakland lineup or a free-swinging Kansas City club. The bigger concern is what happens after that milestone. Can he still be an effective major league pitcher?

What This Means for the Blue Jays’ 2025 Playoff Hopes

The Blue Jays entered 2025 with World Series aspirations. Their lineup, anchored by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, is among the most dangerous in baseball. Their bullpen, led by closer Jordan Romano, is deep. But the rotation was always the question mark. Kevin Gausman has been solid. José Berríos has been inconsistent. Chris Bassitt has been reliable but not dominant. And now, Scherzer is on the shelf.

Toronto’s front office, led by general manager Ross Atkins, must now decide whether to pursue external help. The trade market is thin in April, but names like Shane Bieber (if the Guardians fall out of contention) or Lance Lynn (if the Cardinals sell) could become available. For now, the Blue Jays will rely on internal options and hope Scherzer’s body responds to rest.

One thing is certain: the piano will remain in Scherzer’s locker. He’ll likely play it during his rehab. But the melody of his 2025 season has shifted from a triumphant concerto to a somber, uncertain adagio.

Strong Conclusion: A Hall of Fame Career Hangs in the Balance

Max Scherzer has earned the right to write his own ending. He is a three-time Cy Young winner, a World Series champion, and a lock for Cooperstown. But the 2025 season was supposed to be a victory lap—a chance to add one more chapter to a legendary career. Instead, it has become a battle against the inevitable.

The forearm tendinitis and ankle inflammation are not just injuries. They are symptoms of time. They are the body’s way of saying, “Enough.” Whether Scherzer listens to that message or fights through it will define the final act of his career. The Blue Jays are giving him the rest he needs. The milestone is waiting. The piano is silent.

For now, all we can do is watch. And hope that one of the greatest competitors the game has ever seen can find one more tune to play.

Source: Based on news from Yahoo Sports.