Mad Max Scherzer delivers precisely what Blue Jays need

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The Mad Max experience is not lost on Blue Jays manager John Schneider: From the preparation to the professionalism, and from the intensity to the quirky.

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And on a brilliant summer Saturday at the Rogers Centre, Schneider got to see one of the most important sides of the living pitching legend: His competitiveness.

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“Max was in total control,” Schneider said after a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. “Max set the tone.

“When you get that level of competitiveness and experience, and his stuff back to where it should be, he could be a difference maker down the stretch.”

Scherzer allowed just one run through six innings of work, muting the Royals offence enough to allow the Jays to record what felt like an extra important win before a ninth consecutive Toronto sellout crowd of 41,842.

With his team having lost five of its previous six games and balls leaving the park via opponents’ bats at a disconcerting rate in recent contests, Schneider needed the ultimate Max effort.

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The Jays pretty much got that from the big off-season acquisition’s eighth start of the season, as the 41-year-old veteran’s only blemish was a solo homer in the sixth to Salvador Perez, which dented but didn’t destroy the Jays’ 3-1 lead at the time.

Mostly, though, the famed Scherzer intensity hasn’t wavered from the day he made his first start since returning from the injury list in Cleveland back on June 25.

“As soon as I step onto a big league mound I have expectations for myself,” Scherzer said following his latest outing, the passion spilling forth. “I expect to win. There’s no build up here. This is the big leagues. We’re in a pennant race and a division race. There’s no room for losses.”

But when you’re Scherzer, there’s the feeling that there’s always room for improvement and he’ll keep working towards that. While his thumb issues seem to be behind him, he acknowledged on Saturday that fatigue in his hand kept him from going back out for the seventh, even though his pitch count was at a manageable 84.

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“I’m getting better,” Scherzer said. “My thumb’s doing better. I’m doing a good job managing it. I don’t think this is every going to go away. It’s something I’ve got to manage and right now I’m managing it pretty well.”

After Scherzer’s exit, the Royals added a run off of Brendon Little in the seventh, but a clutch RBI single off the bat of Ernie Clement provided a welcome insurance run and the Jays bullpen shut it down the rest of the way.

Given the recent struggles — and the fact opponents had put up eight or more runs in five of the previous six games — it sure felt as though the Jays needed some Scherzer sizzle. And in improving to 65-47, Schneider’s first-place team will attempt to win the rubber match of the three-game series with starter Chris Bassitt on the mound for Toronto.

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From the meticulous preparation, to the out-loud muttering, to the hall of fame stuff, Scherzer has been the full-on show for those who share a baseball diamond with him, teammate or foe.

It’s the mad scientist in the Mad Max persona, an act on full display on game days, but in evidence behind closed clubhouse doors on the regular.

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“A lot of times, out loud he’s saying what he would throw in certain spots and why and he does a lot of work in here with his own research and stuff,” Schneider said. “I wish you could see his binder of stuff. It’s pretty funny, actually.”

Schneider has seen that influence felt in the clubhouse, as well as players respect the voice and the presence of what he brings.

“He’s a student of the game and he’s not afraid to tell people when they’re doing (well) or tell people when they’re not doing what he thinks is the expectation. He’s earned that right.

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“Thinking back to when Roy Halladay was here, Roger Clemens, you’re kind of on high alert when Max is on the mound and you want to make sure you’re as ready as they are.”

CONCUSSION CENTRAL

Blows to the head have become epidemic for the Blue Jays and the team could be dealing with yet another.

Catcher Tyler Heineman left the game in the fourth inning after taking a foul ball to the face in the previous inning. The backup backstop has already spent 10 games on the injured list with a concussion, the same place No. 1 catcher Alejandro Kirk resides.

As well, George Springer is currently on that 7-day concussion IL after taking a ball to the face last week.

The good news is that Kirk has been rehabbing in Buffalo and was expected to return to the Jays on Sunday.

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While it’s expected that Heineman will be further evaluated, the initial diagnosis announced by the Jays was a head contusion.

QUICK HITS

After a solid 1.1 scoreless innings from newly acquired reliever Seranthony Dominguez, closer Jeff Hoffman earned his 26th save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth including a pair of strikeouts, much to the delight of the standing, sellout throng … The biggest strike in the Jays three-run third was a clutch single from Davis Schneider, driving in a pair after Myles Straw had singled and Heineman was hit by a pitch. The Jays never trailed after that.

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