Ex-Blue Jays pitcher, future Hall of Famer, is in no rush to sign before Opening Day

Max Scherzer may be 41 years old, but after starting Game 7 of the World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays, he isn't ready to hang up his cleats just yet.

However, at his age (and with nearly 3,000 career regular season innings on his arm), Scherzer only has so many seasons left to play. He made it clear earlier this offseason that he wants to win a third ring — he won with the Washington Nationals (2019) and Texas Rangers (2023) — so his options will be limited to contending teams with a clear need in the rotation.

That's a small crowd, which is why Ken Rosenthal's latest update at the The Athletic shouldn't be a surprise; per the MLB insider, the Hall of Fame pitcher is willing to wait until after Opening Day to sign with a team for the 2026 season.

Max Scherzer could remain on Blue Jays' radar if Toronto needs pitching mid-season

"In a telephone conversation, free-agent right-hander Max Scherzer said he is healthy and ready to sign at any moment if certain teams call," Rosenthal wrote. "But if the right opportunity is not available, Scherzer also is content to wait until after Opening Day for an opening to emerge with one of his preferred clubs."

One would have to assume the Blue Jays count as one of those "preferred clubs" after Scherzer was trusted to handle Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, a start in which he dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers over 4.1 innings, allowing just one run. The club doesn't have much of a need in the rotation at present after adding Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce in free agency, but you can never have too much pitching depth. Plus, after missing out on both Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker, a pivot back toward a pitcher could be in the cards.

Of course, Mad Max won't wait around for Toronto to make an offer. He may not be the same pitcher who won three Cy Young Awards years ago, but he's got invaluable experience and remains more than capable of handling pressure situations. An up-and-coming squad with an eye on a deep postseason run would be wise to add the veteran right-hander.

Whether or not he stays in Toronto, it sounds like MLB fans will need to remain patient to find out what chapter will come next in the future Hall of Famer's career.