Age be damned: Max Scherzer can still get it done.
Last season, the 41-year-old Scherzer was part of the Toronto Blue Jays‘ starting rotation and a reputable force in the postseason, recording a 3.77 ERA in three starts, two of them coming in the World Series. Any team that wishes to sign the future Hall of Famer will be doing so with the intention of Scherzer rounding out their starting rotation as a veteran complement – a role that the right-hander has thrived in, of late.
Here are the three best fits for Scherzer should he depart Toronto.
Max Scherzer has won three Cy Young awards. CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X164789 TK1)
Last season was an anomaly; the Orioles, who won 96 games per season from 2023-24, are better than the 75-win, last-place product they put on the field in 2025. Of course, getting back to being that force entails improving around the edges this offseason, and Scherzer would be a sly addition for the Orioles.
Among other issues, Baltimore’s starting rotation struggled mightily last season, as it was 24th in MLB in ERA (4.65) and 21st in WHIP (1.32). Furthermore, veteran starters Tomoyuki Sugano and Zach Eflin are free agents, and the Orioles recently traded former first-rounder Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward. Another starter is needed, and Scherzer would be a veteran enhancement for a rotation with upside.
When healthy and on top of their games, Kyle Bradish and Dean Kremer have been top-of-the-rotation forces, and Trevor Rogers came to life in emphatic fashion in the second half of 2025, recording a 1.81 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 18 starts. Scherzer, who still has a consistent, four-pitch arsenal (four-seamer, slider, changeup and curveball), would be a mentor for a rotation of capable but also inconsistent starters, adding a pitcher with a wealth of knowledge and success to the mix.
All that said, Scherzer may prefer to sign with a team that’s more proven and likely to make the playoffs as currently constructed.
Max Scherzer has won the World Series with two different teams (the Nationals in 2019 and the Rangers in 2023). (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Padres have open spots in their rotation, and Scherzer represents an effective, short-term way to fill one of those roles.
Michael King, Dylan Cease and midseason pickup Nestor Cortes are all free agents and Yu Darvish is expected to miss the entire 2026 season due to an elbow injury. Nick Pivetta (2.87 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 190 strikeouts in 31 starts) is coming off a breakout campaign, and Randy Vasquez has shown tangible progress. Let’s say that one of King and Cease are re-signed, with Cortes being brought back on a one-year deal. Still, multiple additions would be needed for San Diego’s pitching staff.
Scherzer, an eight-time All-Star, averaged five innings per start in the 2025 regular season, with two of his three postseason outings going into the fifth inning and another going into the sixth. He can still be a rotation fixture and start in the postseason, if needed. Should Scherzer struggle and/or a young arm like Miguel Mendez be ready to become a full-time member of the starting rotation during the 2026 regular season, then a tough decision can be made on the veteran. But, in the meantime, Scherzer would help fill out the Padres’ rotation, adding a pitcher with a trove of big-game experience to a team that expects to be playing deep into October.
There’s just another National League team with a screaming fit for Scherzer.
Max Scherzer is 11th in MLB history with 3,489 strikeouts. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Reds are knocking on the door but still getting told “we’re not interested, have a nice day” when that door is opened. Maybe Scherzer gets them through it?
Veterans Nick Martinez, Zack Littell and Wade Miley are all free agents. One of them could be brought back for depth’s sake, specifically in a flex role, but Scherzer is more accustomed to pitching where the Reds want to be playing (October); he has made 28 career postseason starts and 33 appearances total.
Hunter Greene throws gas, posts strikeouts at a high rate and has become an ace; Nick Lodolo, who consistently throws four pitches (four-seamer, curveball, changeup and sinker), posted a career-best 3.33 ERA in 29 appearances/28 starts last season; Andrew Abbott has become one of the best left-handed pitchers in the sport; Brady Singer has been a top-of-the-rotation force for the better part of the last four years. When the postseason comes around, Scherzer may not be in Cincinnati’s starting rotation, but as last postseason showed, if push comes to shove, the veteran can provide five quality innings of work.
Moreover, the postseason experience and wisdom that Scherzer can rub off on a burgeoning rotation, both from helping the aforementioned pitchers tweak their offerings and from a mentality standpoint, could be invaluable. Cincinnati can sign Scherzer to a one-year, $10 million deal and still make a move or two for an impact hitter.
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