Report: Max Scherzer heads back to Toronto Blue Jays for 19th season
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Toronto Blue Jays have re-signed Max Scherzer for the 2026 season.
Mad Max is running it back with the Toronto Bue Jays.
Well, good morning.
The #BlueJays and Max Scherzer have agreed to terms on a reunion, as @JonHeyman reported just after midnight. More to come when people are awake. We speak to John Schneider just before 11am.
The #BlueJays and Max Scherzer have agreed to terms on a reunion, as @JonHeyman reported just after midnight. More to come when people are awake. We speak to John Schneider just before 11am.
A three-time Cy Young Award winner and eight-time All-Star, the 41-year-old spent the 2025 campaign in Toronto during his 18th major league season.
In 17 regular-season starts, Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA and a 1.294 WHIP across 85 innings. He struck out 82 hitters while issuing 23 walks.
While his regular-season numbers were modest, Scherzer's impact was most felt in October.
With the Blue Jays trailing the Seattle Mariners 2-1 in the American League Championship Series, Scherzer delivered a vintage performance.
He tossed 5.2 innings in an 8-2 victory that evened the series, highlighted by a fiery exchange with manager John Schneider when Schneider came to remove him.
When Max Scherzer refused to let John Schneider take him out of the game during the ALCS.
The veteran right-hander's competitive edge earned him an extra inning of work and energized the club.
Scherzer went on to make two starts in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In Game 7, he provided 4.1 innings of one-run ball, keeping Toronto within striking distance before the Jays ultimately fell in 11 innings.
Originally selected 11th overall in the 2006 MLB Draft out of Missouri, Scherzer has built one of the most decorated careers of his generation.
Over 483 appearances (474 starts) with the Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Dodgers, Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks, Scherzer owns a 221-117 record with a 3.22 ERA and 1.084 WHIP across 2,963 innings.
His 3,489 strikeouts rank 11th all-time and trail only former Tigers teammate Justin Verlander (3,553) among active pitchers.
Scherzer now rejoins a rotation that features Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, José Berrios, Cody Ponce and Shane Bieber, giving Toronto a veteran anchor as it prepares for its milestone campaign.
The Blue Jays will open their 50th season on March 26 at Rogers Centre against the Athletics.
Also read on Blue Jays Central :
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 26|161 ANSWERS Report: Max Scherzer heads back to Toronto Blue Jays for 19th season Are you happy that the Blue Jays brought back Mad Max? | ||
| Yes | 153 | 95 % |
| No | 8 | 5 % |
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