It’s the return of the Max!
Max Scherzer gives this Toronto Blue Jays pitching staff a huge boost as he returns to the rotation after being out since March.
Scherzer takes the ball as Toronto goes for the series win against the Cleveland Guardians. So, you know my Blue Jays predictions and MLB picks are going to focus on the future Hall of Famer.
Blue Jays predictions for June-25
- Best bet
Scherzer Over 4.5 strikeouts
(-115 at BetVictor) - SGP pick
Scherzer Over 4.5 strikeouts
Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 runs
Bichette Over 1.5 total bases
(+525 at BetVictor)
Today’s Blue Jays best bet: Mad Max!
Max Scherzer Over 4.5 strikeouts (-115 at BetVictor)
The bats came alive in a 10-6 win on Tuesday night, highlighted by a George Springer grand slam in the top of the eighth inning, but the focus is on pitching tonight.
The Toronto Blue Jays are now just 2.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East, and their starting rotation potentially gets a huge boost tonight with the return of Max Scherzer. The eight-time All-Star made just one start in March before inflammation in his thumb kept him out until tonight.
Scherzer obviously isn’t the pitcher he once was, but if the Blue Jays can get some reliable innings out of him, that would be a huge improvement over the “TBD” they’ve had in the No. 5 spot for what feels like forever at this point.
And it’s not like Scherzer’s numbers have fallen off a cliff. The veteran right-hander had a 3.86 expected ERA and was still among the league leaders in chase and whiff rate in 2024. He also looked great in his final rehab start, striking out eight batters on just 75 pitches in 4 1/3 innings pitched.
Tonight, he faces a Cleveland Guardians team that, yes, still has Jose Ramirez, but not much else. Cleveland ranks 27th in batting average, 25th in OPS, and 22nd in wRC+ when facing right-handed pitching this season.
The Guardians were also known for not striking out a lot, but they have the 14th-highest strikeout rate against right-handed batters this season.
This is a great matchup for Scherzer to come back to. Five innings and around 80-85 pitches is probably the goal for Scherzer and the Jays tonight. That should mean plenty of opportunities for him to get Over 4.5 strikeouts.
Today’s Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
Max Scherzer Over 4.5 strikeouts
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 runs
Bo Bichette Over 1.5 total bases
The Guardians counter Scherzer with Gavin Williams. The 25-year-old right-hander has some solid numbers this month, but a deep dive into his stats also says he’s been a bit lucky. For instance, he has a 1.99 ERA over his last four starts, but his FIP sits at 4.22. His xERA sits at 4.37 and is in the 30th percentile among MLB pitchers.
A perfect example of this is his last start vs. the Blue Jays back on May 3. He allowed just two earned runs and struck out nine, but he also allowed seven hits and five walks in four innings. I like the Blue Jays to get a few more clutch hits tonight, starting with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Vladdy got another two hits last night and scored twice. He leads the Blue Jays in runs scored with 46 and has scored in four of his last seven games.
Then there’s Bo Bichette, who also stayed hot with two hits of his own. He’s now hitting .387 with a 1.148 OPS over his last seven games. He’s taken Williams deep before and has gone Over 1.5 bases in five of his last six games overall.
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Live Blue Jays odds for today
How to watch the Blue Jays today
| Location | Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH |
| Date | Wednesday, June 25, 2025 |
| First pitch | 6:40 p.m. ET |
| TV | Rogers Sportsnet |
| Blue Jays starting pitcher | Max Scherzer (0-0, 6.00 ERA) |
| Guardians starting pitcher | Gavin Williams (5-3, 3.58 ERA) |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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