Max

Scherzer

There’s probably another timeline out there in which Scherzer, not Justin Verlander, was the returning hero signed to fortify in the Tigers’ rotation over the winter, but not this one. Scherzer sort of got the better today of Tarik Skubal, who allowed one run while also getting 14 outs, but he had a little bit easier of an assignment against Detroit’s road lineup and the Tigers did end up winning anyway. Scherzer has looked really good this spring even without accounting for the fact that he only signed 12 days ago. There’s probably no way he’s giving the Blue Jays or fantasy teams six good months, but it looks like he’ll be quite valuable initially.

The only run of the game came on a Jonathan Clase groundout in the ninth after Rafael Lantigua doubled and stole third. Scherzer topped out at 95.8 mph today and averaged 93.9 mph with his fastball, which was slightly up from his 2025 average of 93.3 mph. Thoughts that he might need to open the season on the IL after his late signing are gone now, so the Jays are looking at quite the crowded rotation even with Shane Bieber sidelined. A six-man rotation is possible, but Cody Ponce and José Berríos could wind up in the pen at times.

Scherzer returning for a 19th season feels less like a transaction and more like a reminder that certain careers refuse to fade quietly. The deal is now official, bringing the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer back to Toronto, where he adds experienced depth to a contending rotation. The surface numbers from last season — 5.19 ERA (4.62 xERA) with a 1.29 WHIP and 82/23 K/BB ratio over 85 innings across 17 starts — were pedestrian in nature, though his postseason performance looked far more familiar. Scherzer may no longer be a relevant fantasy contributor at this stage of his legendary career, but he remains the type of presence who can bend a playoff series in subtle, consequential ways.

Scherzer still hasn’t officially signed, but that’s expected to be finalized by Tuesday. He played catch Monday in full uniform, and the Blue Jays will work to get the future Hall of Famer ready to go before the start of the regular season. Scherzer struggled for most of 2026, but his pedigree makes him at least worth monitoring; especially since he’ll be playing for one of the better American League teams in the Blue Jays.

He’ll be guaranteed $3 million with a chance to earn up to $10 million more in incentives, according to Ken Rosenthal. Scherzer could have kept waiting and seeing if other organizations had needs, but he’ll stick with the team that he helped get to the World Series last year, even though that club would seem to have little need for him at the moment. We imagine he’ll start off on the IL and wait for something to open up, but that’s to be determined. Given that he had a 5.19 ERA and his strikeout rate has been down considerably the last two years, it’s unclear whether he’d deserve a spot over Shane Bieber and Cody Ponce if all of Toronto’s starters are healthy for any length of time.

Nicholson-Smith notes that other teams are still in the mix as well, but the Blue Jays appear to be his most serious suitor at the moment on a one-year deal. The 41-year-old hurler made 17 starts for the Jays in 2025, posting an underwhelming 5.19 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and an 82/23 K/BB ratio across 85 innings of work. With Shane Bieber set to open the season on the injured list, the Jays look to be in the market for additional rotation depth and a reunion with Scherzer seemingly makes sense for both sides.

Scherzer was heavily linked to the Giants after they hired his good friend Tony Vitello as their new manager, but San Francisco preferred Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle. Scherzer quite probably will be in greater demand when pitchers start going down in spring training, so it wouldn’t hurt to wait.

Scherzer’s remarks came in the wake of Toronto’s heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Dodgers, which capped one of the most thrilling Fall Classics in recent memory. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer allowed one run over 4 1/3 innings in that contest and said afterward there’s “no way” that was his final pitch in the majors. He proved to be a true X-factor for the Blue Jays during their postseason run after injuries limited him to just 17 regular-season starts. While he’s unlikely to carry much fantasy value next year due to omnipresent physical concerns, his playoff experience, big-game moxie, and competitiveness should appeal to contenders seeking to fortify the back end of their rotation this offseason.

The grizzled 41-year-old right-hander struck out three batters on the night while allowing only one base on balls. The Dodgers had him on the ropes in the fourth inning as Will Smith led off with a double and Freddie Freeman followed with a single, but he ultimately allowed just the one run on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Teoscar Hernandez on what was an outstanding diving catch by Daulton Varsho in center field. Scherzer got five whiffs on 54 pitches on the night, posting a CSW of 24%. He left with a 3-1 lead and in position to secure a World Championship with a third different ballclub, but the Dodgers rallied late and would not be denied. It remains to be seen if this is how the future Hall of Famer wants to go out, or if he has plans on pitching again in 2026.

It’ll be all-hands-on-deck for the Blue Jays behind Game 7 starter Max Scherzer on Saturday evening at the Rogers Centre as they attempt to bring a World Series title back to Toronto for the first time since 1993. The 22-year-old rookie phenom has been a game-changer this postseason with a sparkling 3.46 ERA and 39/10 K/BB ratio across 26 innings over five playoff starts. He struck out 12 and allowed one run over seven innings during Wednesday’s Game 5 victory. This would be his normal bullpen day between starts, so he figures to be available in some capacity after throwing 104 pitches earlier this week. He’ll be one of the most popular pitching targets for fantasy managers in drafts next spring.