Toronto's Pitching Triumph
Toronto Blue Jays Defeat Red Sox 3-0 Using Seven Pitchers After Max Scherzer Injury
The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 3-0 on June 17, just hours after placing scheduled starter Max Scherzer on the 15-day injured list with acute back spasms. CBS Sports reported that Toronto used seven pitchers to blank Boston, with Andrés Giménez leading the offense with two hits, an RBI, and three stolen bases.
The loss dropped Boston to 12-24 at home — the worst home record in Major League Baseball, according to TSN. The Red Sox went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position, extending a brutal stretch that has seen them go 1-for-24 in RISP situations over the first two games of the series.
Scherzer Scratched Hours Before First Pitch
Scherzer, 41, was set to start at Fenway Park when the Blue Jays pulled him from the lineup at 5:18 PM EDT. The Blue Jays placed him on the 15-day IL with what the team called "acute back spasms." It is his second IL stint of the 2026 season. He was also sidelined in April with forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation, according to Associated Press.
Scherzer tried to put the injury in context. "This is a time thing. It's a back spasm. It's nothing more than that," he told reporters, per Sportsnet. Still, the veteran carries a 10.23 ERA across 22 innings this season. He has struck out 3,503 batters in his career, making him the 11th player in MLB history to pass the 3,500 mark.
Seven Pitchers Combine for a Patchwork Shutout
With Scherzer out, Toronto turned to a "bullpen game" approach. Braydon Fisher started as the opener and recorded four outs. Simeon Woods Richardson followed with 3.0 scoreless innings to earn the win, improving to 1-7 on the season after starting the year 0-7 with the Minnesota Twins, per Associated Press.
Five more relievers — Fluharty, Miles, Hoffman, Rogers, and Varland — finished the job. Louis Varland earned his 14th save, according to Sportsnet. Manager John Schneider was direct about the situation: "We had, like, two starters for the whole year... weather this little storm and we move on."
Toronto's Rotation Has Been Gutted All Season
The Blue Jays have lost their entire starting rotation to injuries in 2026. José Berríos is out with an elbow stress fracture. Bowden Francis had UCL surgery. Cody Ponce tore his ACL. MLB.com reported that the team has leaned heavily on bullpen games as a result, with relievers logging an unusually high number of appearances.
Relief is potentially on the way. Shane Bieber just finished his fifth rehab start with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, throwing 80 pitches. He is expected to rejoin the Toronto rotation next week, according to Sportsnet. That could finally end the team's reliance on five-man bullpen rotations that have defined the first half of their season.
Red Sox Offense Hits Historic Lows at Fenway
Boston's 12-24 home record is the worst in the majors. The Red Sox were shut out by a bullpen cobbled together on a few hours' notice. Interim manager Chad Tracy, who replaced fired skipper Alex Cora in late April, called the loss "tough" and pointed to the team's missed opportunities with runners on base, per Beyond the Monster.
The Red Sox spent heavily this offseason — including a $130 million deal for pitcher Ranger Suárez — but have not found stability. CEO Sam Kennedy recently said that Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow's job is safe through 2027, according to MLB Trade Rumors. But the team's ongoing offensive drought may force a more aggressive approach before the trade deadline.
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