After grinding out a nail-biting ALDS with a big lift from the bullpen, the Toronto Blue Jays front office is calling in some veteran reinforcements to try to reach the World Series.
Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer have been included on the team’s roster for the American League Championship Series, the team announced Sunday ahead of Game 1.
They will take the spots of right-handed reliever Tommy Nance and left-handed bullpen arm Justin Bruihl, who combined to allow eight hits and four earned runs in just 1.2 innings against the New York Yankees.
The decision is a definitive shift from the cautious approach of the ALDS, where both pitchers — Bassitt due to lingering back tightness and Scherzer struggling to end the season — were left off the roster.
First pitch of Game 1 goes Sunday at 8:08 p.m. ET / 5:08 p.m. ET with live coverage on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
Bassitt, who finished the regular season on the injured list, has had more time to build back up to pitch in the playoffs while Scherzer threw a 90-plus pitch simulated game Tuesday.
The 36-year-old Bassitt owned a 3.96 ERA and 166 strikeouts across 31 starts this season, earning an 11-9 record. The last time he pitched in the playoffs was back in 2022 with the New York Mets, allowing three runs on three hits in four innings.
Scherzer, 41, was left off the ALDS roster after a rough September, but the three-time Cy Young winner has a 3.78 ERA with 171 strikeouts and 56 walks through 143 career post-season innings. He also owns two World Series rings.
Pitching coach Pete Walker said the decision to include Bassitt and Scherzer is partially due to the ALCS being a best-of-seven as opposed to the best-of-five ALDS.
“The days off, how you use your starters, it’s a little bit different — the best-of-seven is a little bit more traditional sometimes,” Walker said. “But we’ll think things through and come up with the best group to give us a chance to win.”
