Scherzer Reaches 3,500 Strikeouts as Blue Jays Fall Again

Summary:

• Max Scherzer recorded his 3,500th career strikeout in a loss to Philadelphia.
• The veteran allowed five runs and saw his ERA rise to 10.23 after six starts.
• Toronto faces growing questions about its rotation as Shane Bieber nears a return.

Max Scherzer who has just returned from injury added yet another remarkable achievement to his Hall of Fame résumé on Wednesday night (June 10), but the Toronto Blue Jays clubhouse didn’t have many reasons to celebrate after suffering a frustrating loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

“I Came Here to Win Today”

The veteran right-hander became just the 11th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to reach 3,500 career strikeouts when he retired former teammate Kyle Schwarber in the first inning. Yet the milestone was overshadowed by another difficult outing as Toronto fell 7-4 and dropped to 33-36 on the season.

Scherzer, making his first major league appearance since April, struck out four batters but surrendered five runs on five hits, including home runs by Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm.

One of the greatest to ever do it 👏

Max Scherzer is the 11th player in @MLB HISTORY with 3,500 strikeouts! pic.twitter.com/E8QRuHiz02

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 10, 2026

While the historic strikeout placed him alongside some of the greatest pitchers the game has ever seen, Scherzer made it clear his focus was elsewhere.

I came here to win today,. I’m not pitching for milestones. I’m pitching to win the whole thing. So it’s great to get the milestones, but I think at a different point in time I’ll celebrate more.

The 41-year-old was encouraged by how his body responded after nearly two months away from big league action. His fastball averaged 93.6 mph and topped out at 95.3 mph, while he generated 13 swinging strikes against one of baseball‘s strongest lineups.

But from the physical side, I’m actually very encouraged where I’m at.

Coach Schneider: “He Gave Us What He Had”

Toronto manager John Schneider echoed that assessment, noting that the Phillies gradually wore the veteran down despite stretches of effective pitching.

They’re a good team and they wore him down. I thought he made some really good pitches and some really close pitches and gave us what he had.

Still, results remain a concern. Through six starts this season, Scherzer owns a 10.23 ERA, and the Blue Jays are searching for consistency from a rotation that was expected to be one of the club’s strengths.

The situation could become even more complicated with Shane Bieber nearing a return. The former Cy Young Award winner is scheduled to continue his rehabilitation assignment this week and could become an option for Toronto’s rotation in the coming days.

For now, the Toronto Blue Jays remain committed to Scherzer.

You want to try to see what it looks like when he gets some consistent work. It’s the reason why we signed him back.

After an off day, Toronto will host the American League East-leading New York Yankees, hoping Scherzer’s milestone can eventually be paired with better results on the field.