Pitcher Max Scherzer calls his return for the Blue Jays a good check mark

CLEVELAND (AP) – Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer pitched five innings and gave up three runs Wednesday night in his first appearance for the Toronto Blue Jays since March.

“That’s a good check-mark sign,” Scherzer said. “Maybe something that you look for as you’re coming back and as you’re ramping back up. So good in that regard. In terms of actually pitching, a little rusty. I could execute better. I pitched good, I didn’t pitch great.”

Scherzer gave up six hits and three walks on 83 pitches with four strikeouts after recovering from an inflamed right thumb that caused him to go on the injured list. The Blue Jays wound up losing 5-4 in 10 innings to the Cleveland Guardians.

The next step will be determined based on how his thumb feels Thursday because thumb problems can lead to shoulder issues.

“It’s been frustrating as heck to be dealing with this for really the third straight year,” Scherzer said. “I finally get back out here get pitching again get that adrenaline boost. you just don’t get that in the minor leagues.”

The 40-year-old Scherzer threw his most pitches since last July 25, throwing 55 of 83 pitches for strikes. He gave up a two-out double in the fourth, and a pitch-clock violation led to one of his walks.

“I made a bad pitch, so I’m not going to blame that on the clock,” Scherzer said.

Scherzer finished with a scoreless fifth inning and a 4-3 lead.

He signed a $15.5 million, one-year deal with the Blue Jays in February. He left his Toronto debut against Baltimore on March 29 after three innings because of soreness in his right lat muscle. The next day, Toronto put Scherzer on the injured list because of inflammation in his thumb.

The Blue Jays declared Scherzer ready to return after he threw 30-40 pitches in a bullpen session Sunday morning.

Scherzer gave up two runs, struck out four and walked none over 4 1/3 innings in the second of two rehab starts for Triple-A Buffalo last week and struck out eight in 4 1/3 scoreless innings for the Bisons in a home start against Worcester before that.