DUNEDIN — Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman shakes out his arm when he thinks back to stepping into the batter's box to face now-teammate Max Scherzer.
Gausman, who was with Baltimore at the time of the 2018 interleague series against Washington, remembers specific details from the matchup.
"I struck out on a change-up and I thought I hyperextended my elbow," Gausman said. "I thought I was all over it and then it just, you know, (dropped)."
Scherzer has made a Hall of Fame career out of keeping batters guessing.
The 40-year-old right-hander, who recently signed a one-year deal with Toronto, said he prides himself on how he has evolved as a pitcher.
"It's a cat-and-mouse game," Scherzer said Sunday. "Evolving just has to be a part of your DNA. You have to welcome it. That's what we do."
A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer relies on a four-seam fastball in a repertoire that includes a slider, curve, change-up and cutter.
Combined with a delivery that can feature different looks, Scherzer still appears to have game after 17 big-league seasons.
"Deception is the thing that we can't quantify right now," he said. "That's one of the things that I've always strived (for) is to be deceptive. Hide the ball and don't let the hitters see it.
"I feel like that really bodes well for the pitcher when you have a deceptive, funky delivery."
"Power" and "funk" were some of the words Gausman used to describe his first Scherzer experience.
"He kind of hides the ball behind his head and you just don't see it," he said. "His stuff is great too. It's a mixture of that and he's not going to take it easy on you ever."
Scherzer, who made his debut in 2008 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, is joining his seventh big-league team. He won the World Series with the Nationals in 2019 and with Texas in 2023.
Back surgery recovery and a nerve issue limited him to nine games last season, but he's satisfied with how he's ramping up at the Blue Jays' player development complex.
"I"m right where I need to be," he said. "I'll be out here in a live (batting practice) soon and then games after that. As of right now, I've had a great off-season and I'm looking forward to getting back out there."
The eight-time all-star joins a formidable rotation of Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios. Bowden Francis is a good bet for the fifth spot and Yariel Rodriguez will be stretched out as well.
Scherzer has drawn a crowd for his throwing sessions at the Jays' player development complex. Pitchers of all ages are keen to glean a little info by watching one of the game's masters.
"We are fired up to have every aspect of him," said Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins. "The competitiveness, the professionalism, what he brings. Obviously the back of the baseball card, it's the top.
"There's not much better than Max Scherzer and what he's accomplished."
Scherzer's trademark intensity is evident no matter if it's a Game 7 situation or his first throwing session of the spring.
"I really liked watching him before the pitch clock because he'd strike a guy out and he'd walk all the way out to second base," Gausman said. "He'd go on this big circle around the mound and he just had an aura about himself.
"If you weren't ready to go, the game was already over and you could see it on the other side."
It's a fierceness that Dave Dombrowski, the Philadelphia Phillies' president of baseball operations, knows well. He was the general manager in Detroit when Scherzer was with the Tigers over a decade ago.
"He always wants to get better," Dombrowski said at an MLB media day availability. "He's the ultimate. That's what you're looking to have in a pitcher.
"He's the elite, is what he is."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 16, 2025.
Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
