The Toronto Blue Jays have already done a good job bringing back one of their key starting pitchers this offseason, with Shane Bieber opting into his $16 million option with the team.
Toronto lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in one of the most exciting World Series finishes in years, but was carried throughout the regular season and playoffs by its offense. The Blue Jays’ pitching staff ranked in the lower half of the league with a 4.19 team ERA. The team improved slightly in the playoffs, posting a 3.86 ERA, and nearly won in the World Series.
One hurler who took a big step forward in the postseason is 18-year veteran Max Scherzer. In his first season with the Blue Jays, the 41-year-old hurler struggled during the regular season in his limited playing time, posting a 5.19 ERA across 17 starts. Still, in his three playoff appearances, Scherzer allowed only six runs and tossed an impressive 4 1/3 innings in Game 7 against the Dodgers.
With Scherzer set to be a free agent, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Millier predicted that the Blue Jays will bring back the three-time Cy Young winner on a short-term deal.
“After allowing 25 earned runs in his final 25 innings of the regular season and getting left off Toronto’s ALDS roster, it felt like we might have seen the last of Scherzer,” Miller wrote Sunday. “But in three starts between the ALCS and World Series, we were treated to some snippets of vintage Mad Max, who said after the Game 7 loss that he doesn’t plan on retiring.
“Injuries have limited his workload in recent years, so a sixth starter will be a must wherever he lands. Prediction: One year, $10M with Toronto Blue Jays.”
Scherzer is 41 and is unlikely to pitch 30-plus games, as he has in the past. Even still, Scherzer is a two-time World Series champion, and his skill and experience would be beneficial to the Blue Jays.
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