The Toronto Blue Jays weren’t done.
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) is relieved in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Just after midnight on the East Coast, reports surfaced that Toronto had re-signed Max Scherzer, bringing back a veteran arm who played a meaningful role in last year’s World Series run. According to reports, the deal is for one year at $3 million, with incentives that could push the total value to $13 million.
For a team already active this offseason, it’s another calculated addition.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Blue Jays strengthened their roster over the winter by signing Dylan Cease to headline the rotation, adding slugger Kazuma Okamoto to deepen the lineup, and acquiring reliever Tyler Rogers to fortify the bullpen. Even after losing Bo Bichette in free agency, Toronto reshaped key areas.
Now, Scherzer re-enters the picture at a time when pitching depth matters most.
Behind Kevin Gausman and Cease, the rotation carries uncertainty. Trey Yesavage dazzled in October, throwing 27⅔ postseason innings after just 14 regular-season frames. His talent is undeniable, but counting on a young arm to replicate playoff brilliance over a full season is another matter.
Shane Bieber won’t be ready at the start of the year due to injury. Cody Ponce arrives from Korea after a dominant 1.89 ERA season overseas, but his prior MLB track record — a 5.86 ERA in 55⅓ innings — leaves room for skepticism about how smoothly that success will translate.
José Berríos and Eric Lauer round out the depth chart, yet neither profiles as a lock for a 162-game solution. The most optimistic version of Toronto’s rotation likely doesn’t involve leaning heavily on both for extended stretches.
That’s where Scherzer fits.
At 41, he is no longer the three-time Cy Young winner who once overpowered lineups every fifth day. Last season, he posted a 5.19 ERA and an 82 ERA+ across 85 innings — his most difficult statistical year in more than a decade.
But October told a different story.
Scherzer delivered a 3.77 ERA in 14⅓ postseason innings and provided 4⅓ innings of one-run baseball in Game 7 of the World Series. When the moment demanded poise, he answered.
That track record carries weight in a clubhouse with championship ambitions.
The contract structure reflects reality. A modest base salary with performance incentives limits risk while rewarding durability. Toronto isn’t asking Scherzer to be an ace — it’s asking him to stabilize innings early and provide veteran presence as the rotation sorts itself out.
Usage will be key. Managing workload and health will determine how much Scherzer can offer over six months.
But as a depth play with upside, the move makes sense.
The Blue Jays believe they are built to defend their American League pennant. That requires more than star power at the top. It requires insulation when injuries surface and young arms fluctuate.
Max Scherzer may not be the dominant force he once was.
Yet in a season where margins matter, experience — especially October experience — can still tilt the balance.
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