Max Scherzer is joining the Toronto Blue Jays, agreeing to a $15.5 million, one-year contract on Thursday, according to a source familiar with the deal.
The source spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, as the deal had not been officially announced and was still pending a physical.
The 40-year-old Scherzer made only nine starts with Texas last year, posting a 2-4 record with a 3.95 ERA. The three-time Cy Young Award winner started the season on the injured list while recovering from lower back surgery. He also spent time on the IL from Aug. 2 to Sept. 13 due to shoulder fatigue and missed the end of the season because of a left hamstring strain.
Scherzer will join a rotation that includes Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, and Chris Bassitt. The Blue Jays also have Bowden Francis, who had a strong rookie season, and Yariel Rodríguez, who signed a $32 million, five-year contract last February.
The Blue Jays finished last in the AL East with a 74-88 record in 2024. They have not won a playoff game since being eliminated by Cleveland in the 2016 AL Championship Series. They were swept in the wild-card round in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
The signing of Scherzer is the second major move for Toronto this offseason, following a $92.5 million, five-year contract with outfielder Anthony Santander on Jan. 20.
The Blue Jays were also in the running for Shohei Ohtani last year and were finalists for Juan Soto before he joined the New York Mets in December.
They were reportedly among the top contenders for Roki Sasaki before the Japanese pitcher signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Scherzer became a free agent after completing a $130 million, three-year contract with the Mets. He agreed to that deal in November 2021, but was traded to Texas in July 2023.
The right-hander won his second World Series title with the Rangers in 2023, following his first championship with the Washington Nationals in 2019.
Scherzer was selected by Arizona in the first round of the 2006 amateur draft after playing at the University of Missouri. He made his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks in 2008.
He won his first Cy Young Award in 2013 with Detroit, going 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 32 starts. The eight-time All-Star earned consecutive NL Cy Young Awards with Washington in 2016 and 2017.
Scherzer holds a 216-112 record with a 3.16 ERA in 466 career games over 17 seasons, including 457 starts. He has struck out 3,407 batters in 2,878 innings.
He ranks second among active pitchers in strikeouts, wins, and innings, behind former teammate Justin Verlander in each category.
