Mad Max is flying north of the border. 
The Toronto Blue Jays have signed veteran right-hander Max Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5-million contract, according to multiple reports. The New York Post&#8217;s Jon Heyman first reported the signing.
Scherzer, an eight-time All-Star and a three-time Cy Young Award winner, spent last season with the Texas Rangers but only made nine starts due to injury. He joins an experienced Blue Jays rotation that includes Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Chris Bassitt and Bowden Francis.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Breaking: Max Scherzer to Blue Jays
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1885085271407960343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
The 40-year-old will earn $500,000 more than the one-year, $15-million deals that fellow veteran starters Justin Verlander and Charlie Morton received from the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles, respectively.
MLB.com&#8217;s Mark Feinsand <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/max-scherzer-free-agency-outlook?partnerID=mlbapp-iOS_article-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">linked Scherzer to the Blue Jays in a piece on Wednesday</a>, with one source suggesting they were considered the favourites to sign the former Ranger.
Last season, Scherzer pitched to a respectable 3.95 ERA and 4.18 FIP with 40 strikeouts across 43.1 innings before shoulder and hamstring ailments ended his 17th major league campaign. During the year prior, he proved there&#8217;s still gas left in the tank, posting a 3.77 ERA and 4.32 FIP while punching out 174 batters in 27 starts split between the Rangers and New York Mets.
Additionally, the 6-foot-3 righty accounted for 2.2 fWAR across 152.2 innings.
If Scherzer can stay healthy, his presence will be a massive addition to Toronto&#8217;s staff in 2025, which the front office had yet to address this winter. Even on a one-year contract, adding the future, slam dunk Hall-of-Fame hurler significantly raises the ceiling of next season&#8217;s rotation.
This signing also benefits the bullpen, as it bumps Yariel Rodríguez to a multi-inning relief role, where he&#8217;s likely to enjoy improved results compared to as a starter. It&#8217;s a two-for-one move, eliminating one less item on management&#8217;s shopping list.
Toronto&#8217;s projected <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/payroll/blue-jays" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Competitive Balance Tax payroll is now approximately $273 million after signing Scherzer</a>, according to FanGraphs&#8217; RosterResource. That puts them roughly $8 million below the third luxury tax threshold of $281 million.
It&#8217;s believed the franchise can continue spending following this acquisition, meaning first baseman Pete Alonso and third baseman Alex Bregman likely remain in play.

Mad Max is flying north of the border. 

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed veteran right-hander Max Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5-million contract, according to multiple reports. The New York Post's Jon Heyman first reported the signing.

Scherzer, an eight-time All-Star and a three-time Cy Young Award winner, spent last season with the Texas Rangers but only made nine starts due to injury. He joins an experienced Blue Jays rotation that includes Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Chris Bassitt and Bowden Francis.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Breaking: Max Scherzer to Blue Jays
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1885085271407960343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
The 40-year-old will earn $500,000 more than the one-year, $15-million deals that fellow veteran starters Justin Verlander and Charlie Morton received from the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles, respectively.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/max-scherzer-free-agency-outlook?partnerID=mlbapp-iOS_article-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">linked Scherzer to the Blue Jays in a piece on Wednesday</a>, with one source suggesting they were considered the favourites to sign the former Ranger.

Last season, Scherzer pitched to a respectable 3.95 ERA and 4.18 FIP with 40 strikeouts across 43.1 innings before shoulder and hamstring ailments ended his 17th major league campaign. During the year prior, he proved there's still gas left in the tank, posting a 3.77 ERA and 4.32 FIP while punching out 174 batters in 27 starts split between the Rangers and New York Mets.

Additionally, the 6-foot-3 righty accounted for 2.2 fWAR across 152.2 innings.

If Scherzer can stay healthy, his presence will be a massive addition to Toronto's staff in 2025, which the front office had yet to address this winter. Even on a one-year contract, adding the future, slam dunk Hall-of-Fame hurler significantly raises the ceiling of next season's rotation.

This signing also benefits the bullpen, as it bumps Yariel Rodríguez to a multi-inning relief role, where he's likely to enjoy improved results compared to as a starter. It's a two-for-one move, eliminating one less item on management's shopping list.

Toronto's projected <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/payroll/blue-jays" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Competitive Balance Tax payroll is now approximately $273 million after signing Scherzer</a>, according to FanGraphs' RosterResource. That puts them roughly $8 million below the third luxury tax threshold of $281 million.

It's believed the franchise can continue spending following this acquisition, meaning first baseman Pete Alonso and third baseman Alex Bregman likely remain in play.

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