The Toronto Blue Jays have had an odd offseason to say the least, and it got even crazier on Thursday when they signed Max Scherzer to a one-year contract worth $15.5 million. Breaking: Max Scherzer to the Blue Jays — Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman), January 30, 2025
After missing out on Juan Soto and Roki Sasaki, they turned to Anthony Santander and now Scherzer. While it appeared like he was ready to retire after a season in which he was primarily injured, the three-time Cy Young Award winner’s career continues. With that said, does Scherzer still have something left in the tank for Toronto?
Scherzer’s health will be a major concern for the Blue Jays. Scherzer played only 43.1 innings for the Texas Rangers in 2024 due to back, shoulder, and hamstring ailments. Given his age and a long series of previous injuries, I would have been the last person to spend $15.5 million on Scherzer.
Justin Verlander, whose career has been nearly comparable to Scherzer’s over the last few seasons, recently inked a one-year contract with the Giants worth $15 million. By that criteria, Scherzer’s contract is not an overpay in comparison to the “elderly pitchers” market, but it is still not the best financial move possible. The good news for Toronto is that they have the money to spend, even after signing Anthony Santander to a $92.5 million contract, and they will have more to work with after the Scherzer deal.