Blue Jays giving Max Scherzer a chance to show contending teams he's ready for a playoff run

Max Scherzer's tenure with the Toronto Blue Jays is all but over. His gutsy Game 7 performance in the 2025 World Series would have entrenched him in franchise lore had the team closed out the victory, but his completely disastrous performance this year has "swan song" written all over it.

And yet, Mad Max isn't ready to give into Father Time just yet. Despite another elongated stint on the injured list (this time due to back spasms), the right-hander will make what could be his final start for the Blue Jays on his 42nd birthday tonight.

There should be no misunderstandings about this outing: Scherzer is auditioning for other teams against the Washington Nationals. The Blue Jays are all but out of the AL East race and will sell at the trade deadline. If the future Hall of Famer can deliver a vintage performance, perhaps he can boost his stock enough to become a sought-after trade chip ahead of Aug. 3.

Max Scherzer is fighting for his MLB life against Nationals tonight

In positive news, Scherzer looked like the Cy Young of yesteryear in his final rehab appearance, firing five perfect innings with seven strikeouts against (coincidentally) the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate. It was, by far, the best he's performed all season, and perhaps an indication that he is finally healthy.

Can he give a similar effort against the big league Nats? It's a huge step up in competition, seeing as Washington possesses the highest-scoring offense in the league by a wide margin. At the very least, contenders will be interested to see how Scherzer performs against C.J. Abrams and James Woods, two of the best hitters in baseball this season.

But, in truth, it'll still be hard for the Blue Jays to sell Mad Max to other teams given his performance earlier this season. In six MLB starts covering 22 innings, he's logged a 10.23 ERA and 8.79 FIP and the worst underlying metrics of his career. Save for his extensive postseason experience, there's just not a lot he's bringing to the table these days.

There's also the issue of his no-trade clause, which offers him full protection against any deal (i.e., he can say no to any trade involving any team). Now 42 and likely in the final season of his career, Scherzer would likely welcome a chance to win that elusive third title, but he does have the means of dictating where he'll end up for the stretch run if he chooses to wield such power.

If he shows up and dominates the Nationals, perhaps a pitching-needy contender will find themselves desperate enough to take a gamble on Scherzer. Another blow-up outing, however, may not only end his Blue Jays tenure, but his entire career.

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