Scherzer’s spot in the Jays’ 2026 rotation was far from certain. He arrived as a sentimental free-agent addition, returning to the American League champions after sharing a heartfelt letter from his daughter expressing the family’s connection to Toronto. A number of factors throughout Spring Training ultimately led to Mad Max earning the final spot—earning being the operative word.
Max’s Strong Spring Continues
He cruised through spring outings, finishing Grapefruit League play with 13.2 scoreless innings while holding hitters to a minuscule .091 average. That command and confidence carried into his first start against a Colorado Rockies team that had surprisingly lit up Jays pitching for 14 runs the night before. His four-seamer—still dotted along the edges of the zone—is averaging just one MPH less at age 41 than it did during his 300-strikeout season in 2018, the last of six consecutive 30-start, 200+ inning campaigns.
“My hand is in a great spot and my arm is in a great spot. This is what I wanted to have happen last year.” — Max Scherzer
Now at 222 career wins (second among active pitchers behind Justin Verlander) and 3,493 strikeouts (11th all-time), Scherzer continues to climb historic leaderboards. If his debut is any indication of what’s to come in 2026, he may soon close the gap on Verlander. With his Hall of Fame case already cemented, the chase for milestones—and redemption after the 2025 Game 7 World Series loss—remains powerful motivation.
