Jays' Scherzer delays decision on future until offseason

TORONTO -- Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer said Saturday he will wait until the offseason to decide whether he wants to play a 20th major league season in 2027.

Scherzer is expected to start on short rest against Cincinnati in Sunday's season finale, a chance to pitch in front of his family for the final time this year.

A two-time World Series champion and three-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer is 3-9 with a career-worst 6.14 ERA in 17 starts this season. He went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts with the Blue Jays in 2025.

The 42-year-old has a career record of 224-126 in 500 games, including 491 starts. He started at Baltimore in the first game of a doubleheader last Wednesday, allowing four runs in five innings. Scherzer struck out seven, boosting his career total to 3,550.

Last month, Scherzer moved into ninth place on the career strikeout list with a 10-strikeout game against Seattle, passing Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry. It was the first time this season and 115th time in his career that Scherzer had fanned 10 or more in a game.

Scherzer's former teammate Justin Verlander is the only other active pitcher with more than 3,500 strikeouts. Verlander had 3,554 heading into his final career start against Pittsburgh on Saturday. The 43-year-old Verlander announced in July that this would be his final year.

Arizona's first-round pick in the 2006 draft, Scherzer debuted with the Diamondbacks in 2008. He has also pitched for the Tigers, Nationals, the Dodgers, Mets and Rangers.

An eight-time All-Star, Scherzer won his first World Series title with the Nationals in 2019. He got another ring with the Rangers in 2023.

Scherzer started Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers last November, the 33rd postseason appearance of his career. He pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball and left to a rousing ovation from Toronto fans, but the Blue Jays lost 5-4 in 11 innings.

In February, Scherzer signed a $3 million, one-year contract to return to Toronto. He has earned $2 million in performance bonuses, $1 million for pitching 65 innings and another $1 million for reaching 75 innings.