With a runner on first and two outs in the fifth inning of Game 4 of the ALCS, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider came out to chat with starting pitcher Max Scherzer. Everything happened as you would expect if you know Max Scherzer.
As soon as Schneider reached the mound, Scherzer began barking at him. It's unclear whether Schneider wanted to pull the future Hall of Famer or just talk about the next batter, Randy Arozarena, but the pitcher's message was the same.
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In one word: “No.”
Naturally, Scherzer rewarded his coach's trust and/or fear by striking out Arozarena.
The veteran right-hander made sure Schneider knew that when he came into the bench.
Scherzer remained in the game until the top of the sixth inning. He got the first two outs with a flyout from Cal Raleigh and a strikeout from Julio Rodriguez, but walked Jorge Polanco on his 87th pitch of the game. This ultimately led to Schneider replacing him with left-hander Mason Fluharty, who ultimately allowed Polanco to score.
Scherzer's final line: 5 2/3 innings, three hits, two runs, four walks and five strikeouts in a key fourth game.
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The postseason hasn't always been kind to the three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series champion, but it's never been intense. The guy can be seen growling and muttering under his breath, often profanities, between innings during the regular season, and he hasn't changed at 41 years old and on his seventh MLB team.
There's a reason Toronto wanted a pitcher like him on a team with playoff aspirations before the season, giving him a one-year, $15.5 million deal before the season. It wasn't pretty in the regular season, with a thumb injury sidelining him for most of the first half and a 5.19 ERA on the season, but he answered the bell in Game 4, putting his team in position to tie a series that looked all but lost when it left Toronto.
