Will Max Scherzer Pitch One More Year? Four Landing Spots for a 42-Year-Old Future Hall of Famer
Three Cy Youngs, two no-hitters and two rings. After a possible farewell start in Toronto, Max Scherzer is a free agent at 42. Where could he go next?
If this really was the end for Max Scherzer, he gave Toronto a memorable goodbye. In his final start of the regular season, against the Reds, the three-time Cy Young winner went seven-plus innings, allowed one run and struck out seven. When manager John Schneider walked to the mound in the seventh, Scherzer did not want to leave.
He walked off to a standing ovation and briefly joined his family in the stands at Rogers Centre, saying afterwards that he had wanted them there to see the smiles on their faces and that the whole day had been special.
Retire, or one more year?
Scherzer turned 42 in July and becomes a free agent this winter. He has not said whether he will retire or return. Injuries limited him to 35 starts and a 5.46 ERA over two seasons in Toronto, but his postseason performances last October are still fresh in fans' minds.
A Hall of Fame résumé
Scherzer has won almost everything a pitcher can win. He took the AL Cy Young with Detroit in 2013 and back-to-back NL awards with Washington in 2016 and 2017. He threw two no-hitters in 2015, struck out 20 in a game in 2016 to tie the major league record and passed 3,000 career strikeouts in 2021. He also won the World Series with the Nationals in 2019 and the Rangers in 2023.
If he does pitch on, these teams make the most sense.
1. Toronto Blue Jays
The simplest option is to stay. Scherzer chose to return to Toronto last winter, a sign he is comfortable there, and the Blue Jays may lose starters Shane Bieber and Jameson Taillon to free agency. If the goal is 15 to 20 healthy starts, a short deal could suit both sides.
2. Detroit Tigers
Detroit is where Scherzer became a front-line starter. From 2010 to 2014 he went 82-35 with a 3.29 ERA, and in 2013 he won his first Cy Young at 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 240 strikeouts against 56 walks. The Tigers have already reunited with Justin Verlander and need starting depth this winter. The only question is his health.
3. San Francisco Giants
The surprise option. Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey signed Verlander before the 2025 season, and the same idea could work again. The two faced each other often in the National League, and in the clinching game of the 2012 World Series Posey homered off Scherzer.
4. Washington Nationals
Coming home may be the most fitting ending. Washington is where Scherzer went from a good starter to a true ace, and his 1,610 strikeouts as a National rank third in franchise history, behind Stephen Strasburg and Steve Rogers. Many expect him to wear a Nationals cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, which would make him the first to do so.
Honourable mention: Philadelphia Phillies
Phillies president Dave Dombrowski worked with Scherzer for five years in Detroit. But Philadelphia has better options if it wants a starter, and Nationals fans would not enjoy seeing a franchise legend in a division rival's uniform.
Why teams still call
Even at 42, Scherzer brings things that do not show up in an earned run average. He is famous for his intensity on the mound, earning the nickname Mad Max, and young pitchers who have played with him talk about how much they learned from his preparation and his study of hitters. For a club with a young rotation, a veteran like that can be worth a roster spot even in a limited role.
For Baseball Dream players
How to value a veteran is a question every manager faces. Experience and reputation matter, but age brings real injury risk. When you sign an older player in Baseball Dream, a short contract, a clear role and enough rest usually beat a big long-term deal.