The Blue Jays should consider a reunion with Max Scherzer in 2027
Photo credit: © Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
By Nick Prasad
Oct 3, 2026, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 2, 2026, 18:07 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays’ 2026 season came to a close quicker than anyone would have liked.
The end also means the end of the season for several Blue Jays players due to free agency. One touchy name is Max Scherzer. Should the Blue Jays bring him back?
It’s no secret that playing in Canada may be questionable for many professional athletes. It’s a breath of fresh air to hear that Scherzer loved his time here and visually displayed his love for Toronto.
It was also evident that he loved his environment and the Blue Jays clubhouse. He referred to Toronto as “a hidden gem”, and we got to see a fun side of Scherzer that some haven’t.
Now, is this enough to whip him up a contract? Probably not; however, there are some reasons to consider him, backed up by numbers and performances.
There could be a case made to bring Scherzer back
Usually, my take on such a season would be to trim the fat on the roster by identifying fillers and non-contributors. After a mishmash roster due to injury, various players were brought over and asked to step up.
Scherzer doesn’t fall into that “fat” being trimmed, despite where he’s at in his career and his age. Looking at most of the Blue Jays pitching staff, Scherzer is one of the options that is trusted, and you know what you’re getting.
Bringing the veteran pitcher back would not be based only on his legendary name or his love for the city, but on what he’s still able to contribute.
What did Scherzer show us?
The veteran pitcher has displayed his ability to throw effectively and have a “Scherzer day”. His last outing of the season for him was just that: seven-plus innings, allowed one run on six hits, walked one, and struck out seven against Cincinnati.
Scherzer’s stuff didn’t vanish, but it’s more intermittent with regard to consistency. You’re not going to get what Dylan Cease has offered or even Kevin Gausman, but you’ll get quality innings to a limit. He threw 84 and 2 / 3 innings, similar to his 85 last season, and more than his 43 and 1 / 3 in 2024. Scherzer is also still in the 91-93 mph range and still has pretty good pitch sequencing and command.
Yes, his lower velocity makes it harder and more pertinent to sequence and locate off-speed, but he’s shown the ability to do that. He recorded a 33.6% hard-hit rate, which was lower than last season, and a higher ground-ball rate at 30.9%.
Scherzer did have a higher ERA at 5.74, but there are ways to combat that. To keep him in the mix, the Blue Jays would need to limit his innings, as a starter and/or as a reliever. If competing for a starter spot, he would be a sixth-man opener with a short leash. Worst-case scenario, Scherzer would offer a lot in the bullpen as a long and short reliever. If these conditions suffice with the veteran pitcher, it’s something to think about for the Blue Jays.
A one-year contract with an option would make sense, as it would also help the young clubhouse, providing some veteran insight and postseason experience. The Blue Jays should consider re-signing Scherzer under these terms, as he’s proven to be a workable arm in the given situations.
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