BOSTON — The Toronto Blue Jays placed veteran starter Max Scherzer on the injured list with back spasms on Wednesday. The move, which came hours before Scherzer’s scheduled start against the Red Sox, sent the 41-year-old to the IL for a second time this year amid a dreadful start to his 2026 season.Scherzer has a 10.23 ERA in 22 innings this year, allowing nine homers. He’s been on the IL twice, recovering from four ailments — thumb, forearm, back and ankle. He’s made just one start in the last seven weeks, lasting 3 1/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies.The natural question, with Scherzer in his 19th MLB season, is if the future Hall of Famer can still help the Jays win? Scherzer, at the very least, is confident he can.“I absolutely have the utmost belief that I can be out there,” Scherzer 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.”The spasms arrived on Monday morning, the righty said, when Scherzer woke up in Boston. He went in on Toronto’s off day to get treatment but couldn’t recover enough to start for the Jays on Wednesday. Toronto called up right-hander Chad Dallas in place of Scherzer. Dallas is a prospect who can contribute to a bullpen game against the Sox.