Scherzer solid as Blue Jays top Cardinals 3-2

DUNEDIN – Max Scherzer had a coagulated outpouring grooming debut for Toronto arsenic the Blue Jays defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 connected Tuesday.

Scherzer started the crippled and struck retired 4 of the six batters helium faced.

He gave up the Cardinals’ opening tally successful the archetypal inning aft surrendering a triple to Victor Scott II, who aboriginal scored connected an Alec Burleson sacrifice fly.

Toronto acquired the 40-year-old Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, earlier this month. The eight-time all-star signed a one-year, US$15.5-million declaration with Toronto successful escaped agency.

Bowden Francis, who was scheduled to commencement Tuesday against Detroit successful Lakeland, Fla., earlier that crippled was cancelled owed to rain, relieved Scherzer successful the 3rd inning.

He gave up a two-out solo changeable to Scott arsenic the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead.

Alejandro Kirk got the Jays connected the committee successful the bottommost of the 3rd erstwhile his azygous scored Andrés Giménez. Toronto had the accidental to adhd much runs successful the inning but Steward Berroa flied retired with 2 outs and the bases loaded.

After Francis pitched a three-up, three-down fourth, the Jays tied the people successful the bottommost of the inning erstwhile a Giménez azygous scored Davis Schneider. Giménez, who was replaced by Michael Stefanic arsenic Toronto made respective substitutions successful the sixth inning, is batting .500 (3-for-6) truthful acold this spring.

Stefanic’s two-out azygous successful the sixth scored Alan Roden and gave Toronto its archetypal pb of the crippled astatine 3-2. Stefanic was a portion of the last play of the crippled to seal the win, tagging Bryan Torres arsenic helium tried to bargain 2nd basal connected a propulsion from catcher Tyler Heineman.

Berroa entered the crippled successful the archetypal inning successful alleviation of centre-fielder Joey Loperfido, who was injured erstwhile helium crashed into the partition trying to tract Scott’s triple.

Toronto (3-0) hosts Philadelphia connected Wednesday afternoon.

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Feb. 25, 2025.