Blue Jays manager John Schneider was still celebrating a comeback victory in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series when three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer approached with a question: “When am I going to start in the World Series?”
“I was like, ‘Max, I’m enjoying a beer, man,’” Schneider said, smiling last night, before Game 2 of the World Series. “He is very methodical and wants to know what he is doing.”
Scherzer already knows: He will pitch for Toronto in Game 3 against Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow tomorrow, when the World Series moves to Southern California.
The 41-year-old pitcher called it “incredible” to make his first start in the Fall Classic since 2019 when he pitched for Washington against Houston.
“This is what you play for, to be able to get to this point, to this moment, to have a chance,” Scherzer said. “You just think about, throughout your entire life, different things have happened. I’m just very fortunate to have another chance at this. There are so many great players who have never made it to a World Series, so many great players who only have one World Series.”
The fiery Scherzer was left off Toronto’s roster for the division series against the New York Yankees and has made just one start for the Blue Jays this postseason. They beat Seattle in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
That gave Scherzer the eighth postseason victory of his career and his first since his 2019 World Series triumph with the Nationals.
He also became the oldest pitcher to start a postseason game since 45-year-old Jamie Moyer, who pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 World Series.
When Schneider made a visit to the mound in the fifth inning of that Oct. 16 game in Seattle, Scherzer told his manager, bluntly, that he had no interest in coming out at that time. Schneider left Scherzer on the mound.
Scherzer went 7-0 in 11 starts for the Dodgers in 2021 after being acquired at the trade deadline, and greatly impressed manager Dave Roberts.
“It’s unique,” Roberts said. “Great competitor. I don’t want to touch him during outings, I don’t want to pat him on the back. He wants to be the hero. I really enjoy coaching a future Hall of Famer. He’s very smart. He’s a ballplayer first, a pitcher second. He’s going to be a good test for us in the third game.”
Glasnow has made two starts and one relief appearance for the Dodgers this October. He is 0-0 with a 0.68 ERA, allowing one run in 13 1/3 innings.— AP