One day after Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease made an uneven, but encouraging rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo, right-hander Max Scherzer made a solid one in the same location.

Scherzer needed 73 pitches to get through 3.2 innings, and he gave up three earned runs on five hits. He walked just one but struck out five. Keegan Matheson of MLB.com notes that he touched 95.7 mph while averaging 93.4 mph on his fastball. He has not pitched in the big leagues since April 24 because of forearm issues. 

When he was in the big leagues, he was struggling immensely, pitching to a 9.64 ERA and a 1-3 record.

It's an interesting question. Right now, the Blue Jays are operating with three healthy starting rotation members: Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman and Patrick Corbin. Cease could be ready to go the next time through the rotation, meaning that the fourth spot will go to him.

Simeon Woods-Richardson was just acquired and is expected to be a plug-and-play option as well, but when Scherzer comes back, it would seem to be a three-person battle for two spots between him, Woods-Richardson and Corbin.

Scherzer obviously has the Hall of Fame resume, a guaranteed contract, postseason experience and a locker room presence, but the 9.64 ERA is certainly troublesome and problematic for a team hoping to get back to the playoffs again.

For the record, Scherzer is stuck on 3,499 career strikeouts, meaning his next one will make him the 11th player to record 3,500. While the Blue Jays are not in a position to simply let players chase accomplishments, you have to imagine that they want to see Scherzer hit that milestone.  

The other 10 players on that list? Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Steve Carlton, Bert Blyleven, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton, Justin Verlander, Gaylord Perry and Walter Johnson.

The Blue Jays are currently playing the Baltimore Orioles in a weekend series.

--Jeff Passan of ESPN mentioned current Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara as a possible trade target for the Jays this summer. We took a look at the feasibility of that move in this piece. 

--We also discussed the acquisition of Woods-Richardson and if he could end up having more of a long-term future in Toronto. He is out of options and is expected to join the rotation once he arrives, though that won't be in time for Thursday's contest.

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