Toronto Blue Jays make perfect sense for free agent Max Scherzer

The last time fans saw Max Scherzer, he was walking off the mound in Game 7 of the World Series.

The veteran right-hander limited the Los Angeles Dodgers to one run on four hits over 4 1/3 innings, exiting with a 3-1 lead.

It wasn’t a dominant, vintage outing from the future Hall of Famer, but the three-time Cy Young Award winner delivered what his team needed. The bullpen, however, couldn’t protect the lead.

Despite that strong finish, Scherzer’s only season in Toronto was largely frustrating.

A recurring nerve issue that has caused thumb soreness in recent years resurfaced early in 2025.

After making his first start, he landed on the injured list and remained sidelined until late June.

Though he returned to the mound healthy, consistency proved elusive. Scherzer recorded just six quality starts across 17 appearances and posted a 5.19 ERA over 85 innings — the highest mark of his career.

As age and injuries have gradually diminished his once-overpowering arsenal, Scherzer has found it more difficult to entice hitters to chase pitches outside the strike zone.

Without the same swing-and-miss stuff, he’s been forced to attack the heart of the plate more frequently, a risky adjustment that has led to increased home run trouble.

Still, there are reasons to believe he could help Toronto. Scherzer finished the season healthy and would add invaluable experience to a revamped Blue Jays pitching staff.

Mad Max owns a 3.78 ERA across 33 career postseason appearances, underscoring his ability to perform under October pressure. There remains a viable role for him in Toronto.

Now 41, Scherzer has made it clear he does not plan to retire. However, he hasn’t committed to signing before Opening Day.

In late January, he indicated he would be open to joining a team at any point, even waiting into the regular season, if it meant landing with a contender he believes in.

The question is whether Toronto fits that description in his eyes.

It’s reasonable to assume Scherzer will prioritize joining a legitimate World Series threat.

A return to the Blue Jays becomes even more intriguing with Shane Bieber set to begin the season on the injured list.

Toronto currently projects to open with a five-man rotation featuring Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, José Berrios and Cody Ponce, with Eric Lauer available in a long relief role.

While adding another starter isn’t essential, bringing Scherzer back could give the Blue Jays the flexibility to deploy a six-man rotation early in the season, particularly to help manage Yesavage’s workload.

For a team with championship aspirations, that type of depth could prove valuable.

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