The Toronto Blue Jays placed right-hander Max Scherzer on the injured list Wednesday with back spasms, hours before the 41-year-old was scheduled to start against the Boston Red Sox. It marks his second IL stint of the 2026 season.

Scherzer has posted a 10.23 ERA across 22 innings this year, surrendering nine home runs while dealing with four separate ailments: a thumb, forearm, back and ankle. He has made just one start in the past seven weeks, lasting 3 1/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The spasms surfaced Monday morning in Boston, Scherzer said, and treatment over Toronto's off day was not enough to clear him for Wednesday's start. The Blue Jays recalled right-hander Chad Dallas to cover the rotation spot.

"I'm frustrated as heck," said Scherzer. "I wanted to get in that rhythm, I wanted to be out there pitching, get going, because my arm feels like it's in a really great spot right now."

Despite the struggles, Scherzer remains confident in his ability to contribute.

"I absolutely have the utmost belief that I can be out there," he said. "I can be pitching, I can be helping the team win. Nothing that has happened has changed any course of that. Just got to get through this."

Toronto is not facing an immediate decision with Scherzer sidelined. Shane Bieber, a former Cy Young winner, reached 80 pitches in a Triple-A rehab outing Wednesday and is expected to join the club in Chicago this weekend, with a strong chance of making his 2026 debut shortly after.

"I just have another thing I got to deal with and get over," Scherzer said. "These things happen when you're 41 years old and trying to pitch."