Blue Jays move Max Scherzer to 15-day injured list with back spasms, recall Chad Dallas

The Toronto Blue Jays have placed veteran right-hander Max Scherzer on the 15-day injured list with back spasms, the club announced. The injured-list designation is retroactive to June 14, which means Scherzer will miss additional time as Toronto works around the latest setback in its pitching group.

To fill the immediate rotation and depth need created by Scherzer’s absence, the Blue Jays recalled right-hander Chad Dallas in a corresponding move. That transaction indicates Toronto’s intent to keep its pitching options active while Scherzer recovers.

For Scherzer, the injury designation adds another wrinkle to a season where the Blue Jays have had to manage bullpen and starting workload adjustments. Back spasms, as described in the team announcement reported by MLB Trade Rumors, are often treated conservatively, and the club’s decision to place Scherzer on the injured list indicates the Blue Jays want him to miss a full window rather than attempt an early return.

Dallas, promoted through the recall, is now part of the roster picture as Toronto continues to reshuffle its pitching needs day to day. While the move does not specify a role in the report beyond the “corresponding move” to the injured-list placement, recalls like this typically come with the expectation that the player will be available for either an immediate spot start, bullpen duty, or long relief depending on how the staff is set for the next stretch.

The timing matters from a roster-construction standpoint. Because the injured-list clock runs on a calendar window, retroactivity to June 14 affects when the team can next consider an activation plan for Scherzer. The Blue Jays’ management of that timeline will likely determine how stable their rotation looks in the coming weeks.

What to watch next is whether Toronto adds additional internal options to cover for rotation innings beyond Dallas, and whether there is any update on Scherzer’s condition once the injured-list window progresses. If the back spasms linger longer than expected, the Blue Jays’ pitching plan may shift again, with further calls from the organization.

As always with injured-list moves reported through secondary outlets, the most complete picture will come from subsequent official updates and roster announcements from the Blue Jays and the 15-day IL designation itself. For now, Toronto has confirmed the IL placement and the corresponding recall, and both pitchers’ next steps will define how the Blue Jays handle their schedule while Scherzer is sidelined.