The Blue Jays and right-hander Max Scherzer are reportedly in settlement on a one-year cope with a $15.5MM assure, with none deferrals. The deal for the Boras Company consumer is pending a bodily. The Jays have a full 40-man roster and might want to make a corresponding transfer to make this official.
Scherzer is clearly a legend within the sport and a future Corridor of Famer. He debuted again in 2008, has nearly 3,000 innings within the majors with a 3.16 earned run common, three Cy Younger trophies, eight All-Star alternatives and two World Sequence rings.
The query is what he has left within the tank at this level. He’s now 40 years outdated and coming off an injury-marred season. He began 2024 on the injured record whereas recovering from offseason again surgical procedure. Although he recovered from that, he additionally battled a nerve problem in his hand, shoulder fatigue and a strained hamstring all through the season. He was restricted to simply 9 begins and 43 1/3 innings.
That clearly creates some concern however Scherzer has been remarkably sturdy all through his profession. In every full season from 2009 to 2023, he made 27 or extra begins and logged a minimum of 145 1/3 innings. From 2013 to 2018, he had six straight seasons of hitting the 200-inning plateau. In brief, 2024 was the primary season of his profession the place he missed vital time.
Regardless that the amount of his output was low, a few of the outcomes final 12 months had been nonetheless first rate. He posted a 3.95 earned run common over these 9 begins. His 22.6% strikeout price was a drop for him personally however nonetheless round league common, whereas his 5.6% stroll price was nonetheless a really sturdy mark. His velocity was down as effectively on his fastball, going from 93.7 miles per hour in 2023 to 92.5 mph final 12 months.
There are clearly some yellow flags in there but it surely’s in fact doable that higher well being may result in some higher outcomes. It’s a little bit of of venture for the Jays however that is clearly the market price for a veteran pitcher with some query marks. Every of Justin Verlander, Charlie Morton and Alex Cobb secured one-year offers value $15MM this offseason. Scherzer symbolically acquired previous that group with an additional half mil.
There are a lot of methods wherein Verlander and Scherzer are comparable, given their prolonged careers filled with accolades. The 2 have additionally crossed paths many instances, as they had been each within the Detroit rotation simply over a decade in the past, earlier than reuniting with the Mets extra not too long ago. Verlander’s 2024 was additionally injury-marred, although with maybe some extra regarding numbers. His 17 begins and 90 1/3 innings had been greater than Scherzer managed however Verlander had a 5.48 ERA and his strikeout price dropped all the way in which to 18.7%. Verlander can also be a bit older, about to show 42 subsequent month.
Cobb is simply 37 however he solely managed three begins final 12 months, plus two extra within the playoffs, due to his personal maladies. He additionally doesn’t fairly have the identical legendary observe report as Scherzer or Verlander. Morton, who’s now 41, managed to make 30 begins for Atlanta final 12 months however he seemingly restricted his market by having a choice for golf equipment with spring coaching websites close to his household in Florida.
The Jays have been linked to simply about each accessible free agent this winter. That has included some high-profile place gamers like Juan Soto, Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso, in addition to beginning pitchers like Roki Sasaki, Max Fried and Corbin Burnes. There have been clearly some irritating misses in there, however the membership has had a few strikes extra not too long ago. Prior to now three weeks, they’ve added Anthony Santander to their lineup, Jeff Hoffman to their bullpen and now Scherzer to the rotation.
Whereas the Jays might have most popular to get a type of different beginning pitchers, Scherzer retains their dedication quick. It additionally offers the membership a really veteran rotation core. Kevin Gausman is 34, Chris Bassitt will flip 36 subsequent month and José Berríos will likely be 31 in Could. These 4 are positive to be taking the ball with regularity, so long as they’re all wholesome.
If Scherzer avoids the damage bug this 12 months, he’ll improve the rotation and will maybe not directly improve the bullpen as effectively. Previous to this signing, Bowden Francis and Yariel Rodríguez had been projected as the highest choices for the fourth and ultimate spots within the rotation. Even with Scherzer within the fold, Francis will doubtless nonetheless get a rotation spot. After the Jays traded Yusei Kikuchi on the deadline final 12 months, Francis acquired a rotation audition and ran with it. He completed out the marketing campaign with 59 innings over 9 begins with a 1.53 ERA, 26.5% strikeout price and three.3% stroll price. He nonetheless has one minor league possibility however the Jays would absolutely prefer to see if he may carry that ahead.
That would push Rodríguez right into a aid position, one thing he has achieved with success earlier than. Final 12 months was his first within the majors and he made 21 begins with first rate outcomes. He had a 4.47 ERA, 23.1% strikeout price and 10.9% stroll price. However previous to signing with the Jays, he was a dominant nearer in Japan. In 2022, he made 56 appearances for the Chunichi Dragons with a 1.15 ERA, 27.5% strikeout price and eight.3% stroll price. He sat out 2023 whereas making an attempt to be declared a free agent.
Going into final 12 months, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported that Rodríguez’s contract stipulated he may solely be optioned for the 2024 season. The Blue Jays did certainly possibility him a couple of instances final 12 months but it surely appears they received’t find a way to take action to any extent further, so maybe he’ll find yourself within the bullpen as a substitute. He may compete for a leverage position alongside Hoffman, Yimi García, Chad Inexperienced and Erik Swanson.
That may subtract from the rotation depth a bit, however the Jays have a couple of extra choices there than they did final 12 months. They added Jake Bloss, who already has a little bit of Triple-A and MLB expertise, within the aforementioned Kikuchi deal. Adam Macko is on the 40-man roster and needs to be in Triple-A this 12 months after spending most of 2024 in Double-A. Alek Manoah had inner brace surgical procedure in June and will make a late-season return. Since Scherzer is one a one-year deal and Bassitt goes into the ultimate 12 months of his pact, there are long-term openings for that group if any of them have a great displaying in 2025.
RosterResource now units the membership’s payroll at $250MM and and their aggressive stability tax quantity at $273MM. That places them already effectively past final 12 months’s Opening Day payroll, which Cot’s Baseball Contracts put at $225MM. Their CBT quantity was over the road in 2024 however they ducked below when their disappointing season result in a deadline selloff, so they’ll go into 2025 as “first-time” payors. They’re now inside putting distance of the third CBT line, which will likely be $281MM subsequent 12 months. Going over that marker this 12 months would imply their prime decide within the 2026 draft can be pushed again 10 spots.
Regardless of operating these numbers as much as new heights, it doesn’t seem they’re achieved. Per Bob Nightengale of USA In the present day, the Jays are nonetheless fascinated with Pete Alonso if he doesn’t circle again to the Mets whereas Keegan Matheson of MLB.com additionally suggests they need to nonetheless have some flexibility. Perhaps the Jays will add Alonso or another person, or lastly get an extension achieved with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. It’s been an extended, irritating winter for Jays followers however rather a lot has modified prior to now few weeks, maybe with extra to come back. Pitchers and catchers report back to spring coaching in about two weeks.
Jon Heyman of The New York Put up first reported that Scherzer was headed to the Jays. Bob Nightengale of USA In the present day first reported that it was a one-year deal. Heyman then reported the $15.5MM assure. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet first had the dearth of deferrals.
