On verge of history, Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer puts up one of the worst starts of the season

On Friday, Max Scherzer had a change to hit a new major milestone, entering the game against the Cleveland Guardians only one strikeout away from hitting 3,500 career strikeouts. If he hit that mark, he would also be only nine strikeouts away from hitting No. 10 on the MLB’s all-time list.

Instead, he did not hit either mark, failing to record a strikeout in 2 1/3 innings after allowing seven runs and six hits.

Three of those hits — including against his very first batter — were home runs. That makes it the first time this seasons that a pitcher has allowed three homers without getting a strikeout, per Stathead.

The early homer was only part of an uncharacteristically rough start for Scherzer, who went on to allow four more runs on two outs before finally getting out of the first inning.

Scherzer held the score in the top of the second, but allowed two more runs at the top of the third off an Angel Martínez two-run homer. Martínez’s second home run of the night came after a grueling 11-pitch at-bat, in which the Guardians center fielder hit seven straight foul balls before Scherzer threw three balls to bring it to full count. Martínez then sent the next ball into deep right field to send him and Rhys Hoskins home.

Right afterwards, Scherzer was pulled from the game and relieved by Joe Mantiply.

Scherzer was this close to becoming the 11th player in MLB history to hit 3,500 career strikeouts, and just the second active player (alongside Detroit Tigers’ Justin Verlander) above that mark. But his failure to strike out a batter means that Blue Jays fans will have to wait until his next start to watch Scherzer make history.

This story will be updated.