Blue Jays Rumors: Toronto 'feels like favorites' for future Hall of Famer

The Blue Jays have been pursuing veteran starter Max Scherzer for months now.

Free agent starter Max Scherzer
Free agent starter Max Scherzer | Sam Hodde/GettyImages

The Toronto Blue Jays have made impact additions to their lineup and their bullpen this offseason. The one area they haven't been able to upgrade is the starting rotation, but it hasn't been for a lack of trying. They were in on Corbin Burnes before he went to Arizona, and they were one of the finalists for Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki before he inevitably chose the Los Angeles Dodgers.

There's another name that they've been connected to this winter who has yet to sign, and that's future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer. It was just a week ago that Sportsnet MLB insider Ben Nicholson-Smith broke word that there was "no momentum toward a deal" with the 40-year-old right-hander.

Blue Jays Rumors: Toronto 'feels like favorites' for future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer

However, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand shed some new light on the free agent chase on Wednesday. According to one of Feindand's sources, the Blue Jays could be the favorites to land the three-time Cy Young winner.

“Toronto has been hot for him for about two months,” a source reportedly told Feinsand. “[The Blue Jays] certainly feel like the favorites to get him.”

Scherzer's name popped up again recently after he threw a bullpen session for interested teams at Cressey Sports Performance in Florida. According to Sports Illustrated's Pat Ragazzo, the Blue Jays were in attendance along with some heavyweights, including both New York teams, the Dodgers, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Atlanta Braves, the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox.

Another living legend, Justin Verlander, signed a one-year, $15 million contract this offseason, so that's likely the kind of deal that Scherzer is eyeing. We know the Blue Jays have the money to ink the veteran to a one-year deal. But, as one of Feinsand's sources puts it, it's hard to imagine Scherzer signing with a team he doesn't feel is a legitimate contender. Have the Blue Jays done enough to convince Scherzer to take a chance north of the border?

"He’s made more than $300 million already," the source told Feinsand. "So you would have to think going to a good situation with a contender is the biggest thing for him. If he signs with a team that underperforms, he’ll be looking at another midseason trade. It’s hard to imagine that’s what he wants.”

With a veteran-heavy rotation that features Kevin Gausman, José Berríos and Chris Bassitt, with Bowden Francis and Yariel Rodríguez penciled in, the Blue Jays have previously been open about moving Rodríguez to the bullpen. We don't know whether that's still the case, but if the opportunity to add Scherzer came to them, the front office wouldn't give it a second thought.

To be clear, he's not the same Scherzer he was in his heyday. He battled injuries in 2024, making nine starts for the Texas Rangers and going 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA. However, he's only a couple of years removed from throwing 152 2/3 innings with a 3.77 ERA in 2023 and 145 1/3 frames with a 2.29 ERA in 2022.

“He looked like Max Scherzer,” a source who saw the bullpen session said, per Feinsand. “His Cy Young days are definitely behind him, but he’s still good enough to be an effective starter.”

That'll be good enough for Toronto.

More Blue Jays News from Jays Journal

Schedule