Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer shares what he told himself prior to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s game-winning homer vs. the Chicago Cubs.
The Toronto Blue Jays continued their hot streak with a dramatic 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night at Rogers Centre, splitting the four-game set 2-2. Powered by a clutch home run from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a vintage outing from Max Scherzer, Toronto erased a late deficit to secure their 40th home victory — and their 38th win in their last 60 games.
This one was all about timely execution. After giving up a solo home run to Michael Busch in the top of the sixth, Scherzer stayed locked in. The veteran ace struck out three and didn’t allow a walk over seven strong innings. After the game, he shared what was running through his mind before Guerrero delivered the go-ahead swing.
In a quote captured by The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon and posted to X (formerly known as Twitter), Scherzer shared his mentality in the dugout after falling behind 1-0.
“Just kept telling myself we’re not going to lose this game 1-0. I’m not losing this game on the solo shot. Somebody’s going to come through for us. Just kept repeating that in my head. And, finally, Vladdy.”
That somebody was Guerrero Jr, who belted an 0-2 fastball 402 feet to left-center field in the bottom of the seventh. The two-run blast, his 20th of the season, came moments after Davis Schneider drew a walk and Ernie Clement laid down a sacrifice bunt — a perfect example of how the Blue Jays offense has leaned on situational execution to turn tight games into wins.
Behind Scherzer, the bullpen held firm in the eighth inning, stranding both the tying and go-ahead runs after a leadoff double and wild pitch threatened to undo Toronto’s lead. Jeff Hoffman then shut the door in the ninth, notching his 27th save of the year.
The Blue Jays win improved their record to 40-20 at home and further solidified their playoff positioning during a second-half surge that’s seen them play .633 baseball since the start of May. After starting the season 15-15, Toronto has become one of MLB’s most consistent clubs — and it’s largely been due to elite starting pitching, clutch swings, and late-game resilience.
For Guerrero, the homer not only gave the club the win, but also reinforced his renewed plate approach in 2025. Coming through in a two-strike count speaks to his improved timing and discipline, a vital piece in a lineup still seeking more consistency.
Meanwhile, the 41-year-old veteran pitcher continues to set the tone — not just with his performance, but with his mindset. On Thursday night, that belief became a spark, and Guerrero’s bat turned it into another statement win.
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