Worcester, MA – One night after beating Toronto Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease, the Worcester Red Sox took aim against another legendary Blue Jays pitcher when they faced future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer in game four of their 6-game series against the Buffalo Bisons (AAA-Toronto) on Friday night at Polar Park. The three-time Cy Young Award winning Scherzer was touched for 3 runs on 5 hits in 3.2 innings to suffer the loss as the WooSox won their second in a row over a standout Toronto rehabbing pitcher, 6-3.
Every batter in the Worcester lineup reached base safely and 8 of the 9 had at least one hit led by SS Tsung-Che Cheng who had 2 hits, 3 RBI, and 2 stolen bases. Jason Delay, Mikey Romero, and Tyler McDonough all had multiple-hit games with a double each and Matt Lloyd belted a solo HR off Scherzer.
The 41-year-old Scherzer is a 19-year Major League veteran, an eight-time All-Star, and a two-time World Series Champion. He is one of seven pitchers to win the Cy Young Award in both the American and National Leagues...with Detroit in 2013 and Washington in 2016 & 2017. Max has been on Toronto’s 15-day injured list since April 27 with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.
Not to be overshadowed, LHP Patrick Sandoval began his second injury rehab assignment with the WooSox this season. Sandavol started and was scheduled for one inning but since he had such a quick and successful top of the 1st he returned to the mound and got the first out of the 2nd inning before departing. His final line was 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO on 16 pitches (11 for strikes).
Patrick had an injury rehab stint with the WooSox from April 8-20 making two starts before being pulled off rehab and remaining on the Red Sox injured list after experiencing tightness in his bicep. Sandoval, 29, has been sidelined since undergoing Tommy John surgery on June 26, 2024. He missed all of last season after signing a 2-year contract with the Red Sox on December 23, 2024. In 107 career Major League games (100 starts) all with the Los Angeles Angels, Sandoval is 19-45 with a 4.01 ERA with 529 strikeouts in 536 carer big league innings.
Worcester broke through vs. Scherzer and the Bisons in the bottom of the 3rd inning thanks to a couple of newcomers who recently joined the WooSox from Double-A Portland. LF Max Ferguson led the frame with a single and 3B Tyler McDonough, who spent all of last season with the WooSox but had been with the Sea Dogs this season until Thursday, ripped a double to left. One out later, SS Tsung-Che Cheng drove both home with a sharp single to rightfield. Scherzer struck out the next two to end the inning.
Buffalo got on the board with a run in the 4th, but the WooSox answered in the bottom half on a solo HR by 1B Matt Lloyd (#3) atop the Worcester Wall. After a walk and a strikeout, Scherzer was lifted going 3.2 innings allowing 5 hits and 3 runs with 1 BB & 5 SO on 73 pitches (44 for strikes).
Worcester plated two more runs in the 5th on three consecutive hits with two outs. Jason Delay singled, Mikey Romero doubled, and Allan Castro came through with a clutch 2-run single to up the Sox lead to 5-1.
Raymond Burgos, who relieved Sandoval in the 2nd inning, was effective getting double play grounders to end a threat in the 4th inning and another to escape a bases loaded jam to end the 6th. WooSox CF Braiden Ward helped the cause with a tremendous diving catch against the centerfield fence to end another inning. Burgos (1-3) earned his first win going 4.2 innings and giving up just one run with 4 punchouts.
Game 5 of the series will be Saturday at 4:05 pm at Polar Park and will be the final game of a 3-game stretch where the WooSox will be opposed by a star Blue Jay pitcher on a rehab assignment. RHP Shane Bieber, the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner with Cleveland, is scheduled to start for the Bisons vs. WooSox lefty Alec Gamboa (2-3, 3.66).
Bieber has been on Toronto’s 60-day injured list since March 22 with elbow inflammation stemming from his previous Tommy John surgery before the 2025 season. He did make 7 starts for the Blue Jays last season going 4-2 with a 3.57 ERA and then made 5 more starts during the post-season for the Jays going 2-1. The 31-year-old is 66-34 with a 3.24 ERA in 143 big league games (141 starts) for Cleveland (2018-2024) and Toronto (2025).
Saturday’s game will be televised live on NESN and broadcast on radio on NASH 98.9 FM.
Below is a link to Max Scherzer’s post-game press conference…