The Toronto Blue Jays didn’t just re-sign Max Scherzer.
They structured his contract to send a message.
Official details of Scherzer’s one-year deal reveal a $3 million base salary with up to $10 million in incentives — all tied strictly to innings pitched. Starting at 65 innings and increasing in $1 million increments every 10 innings through 155, the contract could max out at $13 million.
There are no complicated deferrals. No performance bonuses tied to awards. Just innings.
In other words, availability is everything.
John Schneider | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
For a 41-year-old pitcher coming off a season marked by physical setbacks, the design makes sense. Scherzer dealt with back surgery, nerve issues in his throwing arm, and a thumb injury that sidelined him for two months in 2025. He finished the regular season with a 5.19 ERA over 85 innings — statistically the roughest campaign of his career.
But the Blue Jays aren’t paying for the résumé.
They’re paying for the version of Scherzer they saw in October.
After being left off the ALDS roster, he returned in the ALCS and delivered. In Game 4 against Seattle, he threw 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball and became just the fourth pitcher aged 41 or older to win a postseason game.
Then came Game 7 of the World Series.
Scherzer gave Toronto 4 1/3 innings of one-run baseball and exited with a 3-1 lead. The bullpen couldn’t close it out, but Scherzer had done his job.
That performance reminded everyone what “healthy Scherzer” still looks like.
The incentive ladder reflects a realistic path. He needs 65 innings to trigger the first bonus. Last season — despite injuries — he reached 85 in the regular season alone. If he stays reasonably healthy, multiple milestones are attainable.
And that’s exactly what Toronto needs.
Shane Bieber is expected to begin the year on the injured list. Cody Ponce, arriving from Korea, remains an unknown at the MLB level. The rotation behind Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease carries early uncertainty.
Scherzer doesn’t need to be an ace. He needs to take the ball.
A six-man rotation to open the season could help manage his workload while keeping him on track toward those inning thresholds. In fact, the structure incentivizes careful planning rather than overuse.
For a three-time Cy Young winner with 3,489 career strikeouts, a $3 million base salary borders on symbolic. The real bet is mutual: Scherzer believes he can still log meaningful innings, and the Blue Jays are willing to reward him if he does.
If he hits the full $13 million, it likely means Toronto got 150-plus innings of competitive baseball from a proven postseason arm.
And in a season where depth could define the American League race, that might end up being one of the smartest bets of the winter.
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