Max Scherzer isn’t going anywhere.
Scherzer struck a deal to return to the Toronto Blue Jays late on Wednesday night, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman. Further specifics of that deal are not yet known.
That means that Scherzer will officially return for a 19th season in Major League Baseball this spring. The 41-year-old made his debut back in 2008 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he’s picked up three Cy Young awards and eight All-Star nods before he landed in Toronto last offseason.
Scherzer held a career-high 5.19 ERA last season, and he went 5-5 in 17 starts. He spent significant time on the injured list last season, too, including a thumb injury that impacted him early. Scherzer helped the Blue Jays reach the World Series after a dominant playoff run, however, and he made the start for the franchise in Game 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Blue Jays ended up falling 5-4 in 11 innings in that contest.
Scherzer marks the latest addition to what is now a crowded rotation in Toronto. The team signed Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce and Shane Bieber — though Bieber is still recovering from an injury of his own — already this offseason. They still have stars Kevin Gausman and José Berrios, and Trey Yesavage is coming off a stellar postseason run.
The Blue Jays have the fourth-highest payroll for next season with about $280 million committed before Scherzer’s deal, too. Clearly, the franchise is committed to making a return trip to the World Series to finish the job.
While a lot of Scherzer’s impact will be dependent on his health, and he’s certainly not the pitcher he once was at this late stage of his career, he’s undoubtedly a great piece to add to the rotation.
This post will be updated with more information shortly.
