Toronto Blue Jays star Max Scherzer is going viral after barking at his manager during Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners.
Scherzer, aptly nicknamed Mad Max, had the sports world buzzing after Blue Jays manager John Schneider paid him a mound visit. Scherzer, 41, did not appreciate it one bit, and he made it known loud and clear.
After Schneider strolled from the dugout to the mound, Scherzer looked visibly annoyed before he got in his manager’s face and yelled, imploring Schneider to let him stay in the game and finish the inning.
Max Scherzer was NOT coming out of this game 😳
Facing his next hitter, he picks up the strikeout to end the 5th! pic.twitter.com/EbVoGMOno8
— MLB (@MLB) October 17, 2025
The mound visit was quick, and Schneider obliged. To Scherzer’s credit, he finished the inning with a strikeout. What’s more, Scherzer barked again at his manager as he walked down the dugout steps.
Scherzer pitched 5.2 innings and allowed only three hits and two earned runs. He struck out five to help the Blue Jays tie the ALCS, 2-2, with the series heading back to Toronto.
“I thought he was gonna kill me, it was great”
John Schneider talked about his mound visit with Max Scherzer in the 5th inning 😂 pic.twitter.com/LuEf5HZgOg
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 17, 2025
“I know I wanted the ball… and I basically told [John Schneider] that in a little bit different language.” 😂
Vintage Max Scherzer was on full display tonight. He joined the show to talk about his outing, the mound visit with John Schneider, Vlad Jr., and more. pic.twitter.com/7fxVoI1io8
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 17, 2025
“When the manager tried to take him out of the game…. WOW!”
The crew talk about Max Scherzer’s gutsy performance in the Blue Jays 8-2 win in Seattle pic.twitter.com/sX4eple44B
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 17, 2025
After the game, Scherzer’s antics are all anyone wanted to talk about. Fox Sports reporter Tom Verducci asked George Springer about it, and MLB Network’s Jon Morosi asked Alejandro Kirk to give him the scoop.
At his postgame press conference, Schneider fielded the same questions from reporters.
“The way he pitches. You can see it on his face. [He’s] like ‘I want to punch this guy.'” 😤
Alejandro Kirk took @jonmorosi inside John Schneider’s mound visit with Max Scherzer in the 5th inning. https://t.co/0cCTTyGhOl pic.twitter.com/YnPCAAzTnT
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 17, 2025
“I thought he was gonna kill me, it was great,” Schneider said. “He locked eyes with me, both colors, as I walked out.”
Scherzer joined the FS1 crew, and it was Derek Jeter who asked Scherzer about it.
“All of a sudden I see [Schneider] coming out, and it kind of caught me off guard,” he said. “It’s one of those moments where I know I wanted the ball. I knew the situation of the game. I wanted the ball. I basically told him that in a little bit different language.”
