Toronto Blue Jays Roster: Max Scherzer May Not Retire in 2027

According to a new report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Max Scherzer may not retire in 2027, though it's unclear what his plans are. 

Heyman says that Scherzer will pitch in "lockout games" in Florida and evaluate his future as he goes. It's unclear what exactly a "lockout game" is, but we can presume that Scherzer will simply be throwing against lower-level competition or perhaps against big leaguers who get together to train, and then deciding if he thinks he can and still wants to compete.

Scherzer is 42 years old and will turn 43 in July.

Look, nobody wants to lose baseball in 2027, and nobody wants a protracted season in 2027, but it certainly could help Scherzer. If he only has to prepare for, let's say, 15 starts instead of 30, that could be more appealing to him and his arm.

So, while everyone will root for labor peace to come out sooner rather than later, it's worth seeing what a lengthier delay could mean for Scherzer and his chances to pitch again.

A 19-year veteran of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays, Scherzer is one of the best pitchers on the 2000s and a surefire Hall of Famer. He's gone 225-126, serving as one of the last beacons of "old school pitchers," who threw a ton of innings every single year. He has six seasons of 200 innings or more under his belt, including each season from 2013-18.

With a lifetime ERA of 3.29, he's an eight-time All-Star, a three-time Cy Young winner and a two-time World Series champion. He won the title with the 2019 Nationals and the 2023 Rangers. He has 3,557 career strikeouts.

Signed to a one-year deal before the 2025 season, Scherzer came back again in 2026. Over his two years, he's battled a litany of injuries, making just 35 starts in total. He's gone 9-14 with a 5.46 ERA, but he was an integral part of clubhouse culture as the Jays got to the World Series in 2025.

He won a game in the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners and started Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers, a game the Blue Jays nearly won to give him his third World Series ring overall.

He threw 85 and 84.2 innings over the last two years, respectively.