Max Scherzer picked the perfect time to turn back the calendar for the Blue Jays.
The 19-year veteran struck out a season-high 10 batters Sunday, leading Toronto to a 7-0 win over the Mariners that completed a three-game sweep.
"It was like hopping in a time machine," manager John Schneider said. "You don't really see that from a 42-year-old."
Seven innings, one hit, zero runs. It was Scherzer's best start in a Blue Jays uniform.
His punchout of Cal Raleigh in the seventh was career strikeout number 3,535, moving him past Gaylord Perry into ninth on the all-time list.
He now sits 19 strikeouts behind former teammate Justin Verlander, who's currently hurt and has said he plans to retire after this season.
The sold-out crowd gave Scherzer a standing ovation as the milestone hit the videoboard, and another one once he walked off the mound after the inning.
How Kirk and the offense backed him up
"I respect who's on this list," Scherzer said. "To be moving up the top-10 all time means something. It's great to do it here at home."
He'd learned from his last start against the Royals, where a leadoff single forced him into the stretch immediately and led to three walks in a rough first inning.
"I felt like I wasn't in rhythm and learned from that," Scherzer said. "I want to get through that so I can settle in."
This time, he struck out Randy Arozarena to open the game, then punched out the next two hitters as well.
"Right after that first inning I could tell his confidence was there," catcher Alejandro Kirk said through interpreter Hector Lebron. "I knew right then that he was gonna have a good day."
Kirk backed that up at the plate, taking a Logan Gilbert sweeper over the left-center field fence for a two-run homer in the first.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added a 108.5 mph RBI double past J.P. Crawford in the fifth, and Kazuma Okamoto followed with a solo shot the next inning.
Scherzer recorded 17 whiffs total, eight coming off a four-seamer that topped out at 95 mph, with only a walk to Taylor Ward and a double from Raleigh marring the outing.
The sweep capped a 4-2 homestand and an outstanding 17-11 August for Toronto, which remains 1.5 games back of the Guardians for the final wild-card spot.
"We're in the thick of it, we're in a playoff hunt, but you got to win every single day," Scherzer said. "That's what our focus has to be for the rest of the year."
Toronto gets an off day Monday before a pivotal three-game series at Cleveland, a series that could shape the entire wild-card race.
Is Max Scherzer's late-career surge the biggest reason the Blue Jays are still alive in the playoff race?
Also read on Blue Jays Insider :
Blue Jays got themselves a 100MPH+ pitcher
