Toronto Blue Jays make a splash in free agency with high-profile signing
After an offseason filled with missing out on the biggest names, the Toronto Blue Jays have come to terms with free agent pitcher Max Scherzer.
The two sides have agreed to a contract, according to multiple reports. It’s a one-year deal worth $15.5 million, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young Award winner and one of the best pitchers of his generation. However, he’s now 40 years old, and it remains to be seen how much he has left in the tank.
Breaking: Max Scherzer to Blue Jays
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 30, 2025
Scherzer threw 43.1 innings for the Texas Rangers last season, finishing with a 2-4 record, a 3.95 ERA, and 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings. He dealt with numerous injuries, including arm fatigue and a hamstring issue. In 2023, Scherzer played much more and pitched a total of 152.2 innings.
The Blue Jays will be hoping Scherzer can stay healthy and turn back the clock to find some of the magic he had on the mound during his younger years.
After missing out on the stars early in free agency, the Blue Jays have managed to make some additions over the past few weeks. They signed pitcher Jeff Hoffman to a three-year contract and grabbed outfielder Anthony Santander as well.
The Blue Jays finished last season with a team ERA of 4.29, good for 22nd in MLB. The addition of Scherzer will hopefully help their starting rotation best that number this year.
The veteran has eight All-Star nods across his career, with the most recent coming in 2021 when he split time between the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Scherzer has two World Series wins on his resume, the first coming in 2019 with the Nationals and the second in 2023 with the Texas Rangers.
Spring training is not too far out for the Blue Jays now, as they play their first game on February 22 against the New York Yankees.