Max Scherzer Injury: Beginning to ramp up

Scherzer (thumb) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and then faced live hitters for 20 more pitches, Andres Soto of MLB.com reports.

The 40-year-old right-hander has been dealing with thumb issues on his throwing hand since making his season debut March 29, but after receiving multiple cortisone shots in the digit, he appears to be making progress. "Good, really good," manager John Schneider said after Scherzer's session off the game mound at Angel Stadium. "Twenty pitches after he threw in the 'pen. And then I thought standing back there, his stuff was really good... So that's a really good step in the right direction." The Blue Jays will wait and see how Scherzer bounces back before determining the next step in his rehab, but tentative plans call for him to get stretched out a little more in another session against live hitters this weekend in Seattle. The earliest Scherzer would be eligible to come off the 60-day IL is May 29, but a June return appears more likely as Toronto won't want to rush him back into the rotation.