Although the team is making an effort to get Framber Valdez, who recently signed with the Detroit Tigers (3 years, $115 million), they may not be done yet.
Take a bow, Max 🙌 Max Scherzer leaves what could possibly be his last match at the age of 41.
Do the Blue Jays need Max Scherzer as much as 2025 in 2026? The answer right now is no. Although, as Jays fans have seen over the years, you can never have too much pitching.
The Blue Jays used 15 different pitchers to start in 2025 while still advancing to the World Series. Aside from names like Louis Varland and Braydon Fisher, who were openers for the team, they eventually trotted out starters to arms like Easton Lucas, Paxton Schultz, Jose Urena and Spencer Turnbull. Yariel Rodriguez even started a game for the team last season, not to mention Bowden Francis also made 14 starts, and Eric Lauer made 15 starts.
The reality is that at 42 years old, you can’t rely on Max Scherzer throwing six-plus innings and 80-plus pitches every five starts, but you can certainly count on him to be a valuable voice in a clubhouse fixated on winning gold. There’s also the matter of the long-term health of the rotation.
Will Jose Berrios suffer from injuries like last season? Will Shane Bieber be sustainable after still recovering from Tommy John surgery? As a young 23-year-old, will Trey Yesavage have some trouble in his first full season in the major leagues? These are all options that require backup plans.
With Scherzer, we look at a similar situation with the Los Angeles Dodgers and their dealings with fellow incoming Hall of Famer, Clayton Kershaw. Towards the end of his career, Kershaw only signed one-year contracts in LA as injuries piled up over time. Kershaw also took time to re-sign with the Dodgers whenever he chose to return to the franchise in the winters of 2023 and 2024.
Scherzer made it clear that he is more than fine with waiting to sign with a new ball club, but has stated that he wants to go to a competitive team, even telling Ken Rosenthal that he is more than happy with waiting until after Opening Day in 2026.
Should the Blue Jays bring back Mad Max?
It’s already been said that the front office of Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins wasn’t overly sentimental about the 2025 roster, as evidenced by the lack of returning free agents.
But with a name as big as Max Scherzer and the fact that he still has the desire to compete at the highest level, a reunion may not be completely closed.
Will we see him log over 200 innings per season? No. Will we see him start his 3,500 strikeout streak in the major leagues? Time will tell soon.
PRESENTED BY OFF THE ROSTER
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