Max Scherzer strikes out 3,500 times upon return, but is hit again

Max Scherzer is back on the mound and immediately broke a historic barrier with his return. The right-handed pitcher from Toronto struck out 3,500 times in the top American baseball league on Wednesday evening. He opened the game with an 86 mph change-up that got Kyle Schwarber fouled out on a look-three. Scherzer briefly raised his arm as the crowd stood, just before Trea Turner came to bat.

The three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star is the eleventh pitcher in history to reach this number. Walter Johnson (3,509) is tenth on the all-time rankings, while Scherzer's former teammate Justin Verlander (3,554) is the only active pitcher who has advanced further. Scherzer immediately added Turner to his strikeout total, but Bryce Harper answered with a home run that went over the top of the left field wall. In the third inning, Alec Bohm hit a three-run home run for a 4-0 lead.

The return could not turn around Scherzer's difficult season. He has now allowed nine home runs in 22 innings in six starts. Against Philadelphia, he went 3 1/3 inning: four strikeouts, three walks, five singles and five earned runs. His career total increased to 3,503 strikeouts, but his earned run average (ERA) went from 9.64 to 10.23. After an infield single by Justin Crawford, Scherzer left the mound; substitute Mason Fluharty then immediately got a homerun off Schwarber (6-0).

Before the game, Toronto activated Scherzer from the 15-day injured list (right forearm tendonitis and left ankle irritation). He hadn't pitched since April 24, when he gave up seven runs in 2 1/3 innings against Cleveland. Right-hander Connor Seabold was designated for assignment. In February, Scherzer returned to the reigning American League champions, signing a one-year contract worth $3 million.