TORONTO — Myles Straw was soaking in the cold tub following the jarring conclusion to Game 6 of the World Series when he spotted Max Scherzer pacing.
The Toronto Blue Jays had threatened in the ninth inning, but a double play allowed the Los Angeles Dodgers to sneak out with a 3-1 win that stunned the 44,710 in attendance at Rogers Centre and sent the Fall Classic to Game 7.
Scherzer will get the ball for the Blue Jays in that winner-take-all contest, and Straw says the veteran right-hander was already in game mode late Friday night.
“He looked pissed off,” Straw said. “He looked like he’s ready to throw right now. So, yeah, I didn’t say anything to him in there, but he already looks like he’s ready to go.”
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The vibes in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse weren’t necessarily what you’d expect, given the team had just squandered a chance to clinch a World Series title. There was light music playing on the speakers while player after player spoke with confidence about the team’s prospects on Saturday.
Much of that was because Scherzer, the 41-year-old future Hall-of-Famer, was set to toe the rubber.
“I expect Max to be Max,” said Chris Bassitt.
“He’s been there,” said Addison Barger. “He’s done it before. He’s one of the best of all time. We know he’s going to go out there and compete.”
“The most vetted person in the league,” said Trey Yesavage. “A guy that’s been in this position before in his career. It gives you a lot of confidence with him on the mound to start the game.”
His teammates noting that Scherzer has “been there” isn’t just a platitude. The right-hander has actually thrived in this exact situation, taking the mound for the Washington Nationals in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series against the Houston Astros.
Scherzer was scratched for Game 5 of that series with a serious neck issue, yet somehow managed to return three days later to deliver five innings of two-run ball and help the Nationals secure their only World Series title.
Kurt Suzuki, the newly minted Los Angeles Angels’ manager, was a catcher on that Washington squad. He caught Scherzer for parts of the season but was relegated to the dugout in Game 7 due to a hip issue. He recalls the intensity Scherzer displayed on that late-October night in Houston.
“What you respect about him is he couldn’t walk two days before, due to his neck, and this guy was pitching Game 7 of the World Series,” Suzuki said in an August interview with Sportsnet. “He never mentioned one thing about his neck because he didn’t want anybody to use that as an excuse for if he did good or bad.”
Scherzer hadn’t won a World Series ring at that point and it was easily the most important start of his career. What stood out to Suzuki was how normal Scherzer was that night. Of course, normal for Scherzer means that he is hyper-intense, yet the point is, he was the exact same guy.
“Nothing really stuck out that was different from the regular season,” said Suzuki. “It was the same old Max, discussing the hitters between innings, doing all that kind of stuff. Obviously, it’s Game 7, but he was the same guy. Everything was the same. He was doing whatever he could to beat you.”
Now, the Scherzer who takes the mound on Saturday and is tasked with helping the Blue Jays capture their first World Series championship in 32 years is a much different pitcher than he was seven years ago. His velocity and stuff have diminished, however, that fiery spirit remains the same. It was on display during his gutsy win in Game 4 of the ALCS in Seattle and again in Game 3 of the World Series, when he earned a no-decision in the Blue Jays’ 18-inning loss to the Dodgers.
On Friday night, Scherzer spent time in the dugout dissecting the game with backup catcher Tyler Heineman. They were talking through starter Kevin Gausman’s pitch sequences, with Scherzer providing commentary on what he thought his fellow right-hander should throw in certain situations.
Scherzer was determined to stay mentally sharp and, at one point, turned to Heineman with a confession.
“He’s like, ‘I’m in this situation right now where I can’t ride the wave, the roller coaster of if we win today. I’m preparing like there is tomorrow, no matter what,’” Heineman said.
“He didn’t want to turn off the intensity.”
That intensity has been present during the entire World Series, whether it’s on the field, in the dugout or behind the scenes. When the Blue Jays were initially lining up their rotation, Scherzer made a declaration to teammates.
“Whoever pitches Game 3 has to be a dawg,” Scherzer told Gausman.
Scherzer knew that the starter who got the ball in the third game of the series would be in line for a potential Game 7 and the conversation stuck with Gausman.
“Max said it perfectly,” Gausman said. “And if there’s anyone who’s made for this moment, it’s Max. He started Game 7 of the World Series before. We don’t have anybody who can say that. We feel pretty good with him out there.”
Gausman was saddled with the loss on Friday after allowing three runs over six innings. All the Dodgers’ runs came with two outs in the third inning and the Blue Jays’ right-hander deserved a better fate in what was arguably the most important start of his career. The offence was simply shut down by Los Angeles right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and a trio of relievers.
Gausman wasn’t hanging his head following the loss, though. Instead, a slight smile crossed his face when he spoke of his veteran teammate.
“I think if you would have told me in spring training that Max was going to be starting in Game 7, I would have been like, ‘All right,’” said Gausman. “I feel great about our chances because it means he’s healthy and throwing the ball the way he knows how to. And, as we saw [this month], he’s a different animal. He can rise to the occasion.”
