Blue Jays' Scherzer still experiencing soreness in thumb

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer is still feeling soreness in his right thumb after throwing recently, manager John Schneider said Monday via MLB.com's Keegan Matheson.

Schneider added that Scherzer is going to visit with a doctor again in the coming days.

“He threw for four or five days on the road, each day with some varying degree of good or bad,” Schneider said. “He just wants to try to hammer it out.”

Scherzer battled the thumb injury during spring training and made one start on March 29 against the Baltimore Orioles but was removed from the game after three innings due to soreness in his lat muscle. Scherzer said after the game the lat injury was related to his ability to grip the baseball, which was compromised due to the sore thumb. 

"You can't override and pitch through that pain," he said after the outing. "Because once that's compromised, it compromises the rest of your arm."

"This thumb is absolutely critical to your arm health," Scherzer said. "I've got to get this 100 per cent before I pitch again."

He had a cortisone shot in his thumb soon after and was placed on the 15-day injured list. There is no official timetable for his return.

Toronto signed Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5 million contract late in the off-season. He pitched to a 1.38 ERA in four starts during spring training but allowed two runs in his three innings before being lifted in his only big-league start this season.

The Blue Jays sit first in the American League East at 9-7 and will send Easton Lucas to the hill Monday against the Atlanta Braves to begin a six-game homestand.