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Blue Jays: What to expect from Max Scherzer this season
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Photo credit: © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Nick Prasad
Mar 29, 2026, 06:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 28, 2026, 19:31 EDT
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The 2026 season is just hours from getting underway, and the Toronto Blue Jays enter the year with pitching depth at their disposal after a strong offseason.
On top of adding Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce this winter, veteran hurler Max Scherzer is back with the team, and fans seem excited to have the future Hall of Famer back in the mix. The Jays have been tested early with their rotation depth, with Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, and Jose Berrios all starting the season on the IL, and Scherzer is going to be in the mix for starts right from the get-go.
Last season, Scherzer got off on the wrong foot when a thumb issue sent him to the IL early in the year. As time passed, Blue Jays fans grew increasingly fond of Scherzer and were sold by the end of the year. He ended up making 17 starts by season’s end and was a key contributor for the club in the postseason as well. The right-hander returning to Toronto for a second time was also a satisfying thing for Blue Jays faithful.
When looking at the roster in its entirety heading into the new campaign, the question lies: where does Scherzer contribute, and how do the Blue Jays use him in 2026?

Max Scherzer adds experience to the roster

The biggest reason for having Scherzer on the roster is what he brings from an experience standpoint. The 18-year veteran has been around the block a few times, with multiple postseason appearances and two World Series titles, and fans saw what he brings to the rotation last year.
His presence in the clubhouse last season was a step in the right direction for a club that is focused on the importance of clubhouse chemistry and cohesion. Having him back in the fold continues to support that overall focus.

His starting role

The Blue Jays may be looking at a five-man rotation, while still testing the waters with a few of their new additions. Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Shane Bieber, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, and Cody Ponce are the projected potential starters this year, and Scherzer slots in amongst all of them as well, with Eric Lauer lurking as depth as well.
Bieber, Yesavage, and Berrios are starting the season on the sidelines, making Scherzer a beneficial signing and one of the reasons he was one of the latter additions this offseason. He’s slotted into the fifth spot in the rotation and is tentatively scheduled to start on March 31st against the Colorado Rockies.
If Scherzer could fit anywhere within this rotation, it would be at the back end; more so within the four to six spots, if they go beyond five starters. The hope for him to be a starter again is based on the health of Bieber and Berrios, who are both on injury timelines. Scherzer would be a short-inning starter, working the front-half, four to five innings of each outing; this is where he’s at his best. The veteran arm can prove that he could be worthy of holding down a starter spot in supplementation.
When the other arms return, things could get interesting, depending on the output of Scherzer within the next few weeks. The right-hander could make a strong case for himself and could spark a tough decision for Blue Jays management if he is pitching well.
The bullpen may not be ideal for Scherzer, but the possibility for a split-start is there, with Scherzer on the front end for a short stint. The options are subjective, and it will all depend on his performance, but the Jays are looking down the barrel of some tough roster decisions in the coming weeks. They have a few different names that they could flip the bullpen, and the Jays’ coaching staff will look at every angle when all the chips are on the table come the end of April.

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