"Thumbs up": a classic sign from Scherzer indicating he's ready for the playoffs

All great players possess a touch of stubbornness in their game, that ability to keep pushing until they explode.

In today's match at Rogers Centre, where the Blue Jays defeated the Cubs 2-1, Max Scherzer's performance was remarkable, but as the first six innings quickly passed, this future Hall of Famer looked like a solo act without support. However, that's the charm of this Blue Jays offense. It may take some time to wake up, but it always comes through.

From every angle, this is classic Scherzer, swiftly handling the Cubs like a dinner reservation.

"Thumbs up," said head coach John Schneider, while giving a thumbs up, indicating that there's no longer a need to discuss Scherzer's right thumb issue. "I'm glad we can talk about the game plan because you have Max Scherzer, who is very confident in his own pitches. It hasn't been easy for him to get here. He has worked incredibly hard. It's great to see him compete. There aren't many players like him."

In over seven innings of pitching, Scherzer allowed the Cubs to score only one run on a solo home run by Michael Busch. Although he struck out just three batters, Scherzer successfully avoided danger and induced a flurry of weak contact from a Chicago team eager to swing. We've seen in recent weeks that when needed, Scherzer can still deliver dominant strikeout pitches that leave opponents swinging at air, but he is also proving that he can flexibly adjust his pitching strategy. He completed the first seven innings with just 73 pitches.

Scherzer knew the Cubs would be aggressive at the plate. What was his plan? Let them swing.

"I expected them to be very aggressive, and wow, they were even more aggressive than I thought," Scherzer said. "Ultimately, it comes down to 'you have to control those pitch locations precisely.' They will be aggressive. On the first pitch, control the location and throw the ball where you want it. It's fine if they swing."

"They created some outs because of that, which kept my pitch count manageable. It allowed me to be more precise early in the count."

Scherzer's savior was Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, awakening the slumbering offense. Despite the fact that the Blue Jays only had three hits that day and Matthew Boyd also had a stellar performance, the most important thing was securing another victory for the first-place Blue Jays in the American League.

"I tell you—every time I see (Scherzer) take the mound and give it his all, I understand why he has those accomplishments," Guerrero said through the team's translator. "Now I know why he could go straight into the Hall of Fame."

From now on, every conversation about the Blue Jays needs to be tied to the playoffs. This year, the Blue Jays are not just looking to sneak into the playoffs with a wild card spot; they have a clear path to winning the AL East title and should have ample opportunity to bypass the wild card round by securing one of the top two spots in the AL.

That's why Scherzer's recent performances are so exciting. He is not only helping the Blue Jays reach October, but he is also proving that once they get to the playoffs, he can be a frontline starter in this rotation.

With 40 games left for this 71-51 Blue Jays team, each one could turn out very poorly or very well. But the playoff pitching rotation is taking shape around a key variable: Shane Bieber, the Blue Jays' major acquisition at the trade deadline, who is expected to make his last rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo tomorrow before debuting with the Blue Jays.

A healthy Bieber, even if he pitches at the 0.90 level he showed with the Guardians, is likely to be in the mix for the first, second, or third game of the playoff series. Kevin Gausman has already locked down one of those spots with his potential to dominate opposing lineups at any time. But it is becoming increasingly clear that Scherzer should also take the mound in those crucial moments. Additionally, Scherzer's 143 postseason innings pitched ranks third among all active pitchers, behind Clayton Kershaw's 194.1 innings and Justin Verlander's 223 innings.

Scherzer has been through it. Scherzer has done it.

It looks like the Blue Jays will give him another chance.