Max Scherzer has spent the last 19 years in Major League Baseball and the future Hall of Famer intends to take a bit of time before deciding whether to return for No. 20.
asserted
Hall → spend → .
The Blue Jays right-hander said Saturday that he plans to take most of the winter before making a decision on whether to pitch again next year or retire.
asserted
he → say → decision
He might wait even longer if a labour stoppage interrupts the start of the season.
uncertain
stoppage → wait → season
That means Sunday’s start against the Cincinnati Reds at the Rogers Centre could be the last of his career.
uncertain
start → mean → career
If it is, he wanted to make sure he did it pitching in front of the home crowd with his family in attendance to experience the moment.
asserted
he → want → moment
“The only thing I’ll say about my future here is, I’m going to make this decision about playing next year later in the off-season,” Scherzer told reporters while sitting inside the Jays dugout before Saturday afternoon’s game.
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Scherzer → say → game
“I’ve gone through ups and downs this season, I get it, but I’ve got to this point where I’m pretty healthy.
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I → go → point
I’ve talked to everybody in my inner circle and we all kind of feel the same way.
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we → talk → way
We don’t need to make a decision today.
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We → need → decision
Get to the off-season and see how things unfold.
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things → get → season
That’s baseball at its pinnacle...
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That → ’ → pinnacle
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 26, 2026
Max Scherzer speaks on his time in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/gU9KfuzS6b
If Scherzer wants to return at age 43, he should find an offer.
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he → speak → offer
The three-time Cy Young Award winner signed a one-year deal worth $3-million (U.S.) plus incentives with the Jays this year and would be in position to earn something similar in 2027.
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winner → sign → 2027
Whether those offers would come from a contender remains to be seen.
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come → come → contender
Most top clubs will likely hesitate to guarantee him a roster spot in the spring, but that could change once pitchers go down with injuries.
uncertain
pitchers → hesitate → injuries
That’s essentially what happened this year when he rejoined the Jays midway through camp
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he → happen → camp
By then, injury concerns about Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage plus several other rotation questions made Scherzer’s availability of interest.
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concerns → make → interest
A similar situation could arise, or he could do what Roger Clemens did at the tail end of his career and start his season in June or July.
uncertain
Clemens → arise → June
“I have no idea how I’m going to feel in six months,” said Scherzer, who has a 6.14 ERA compared to a career mark of 3.59.
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who → have → 3.59
“For me, it’s just about being healthy, and right now pitching this last game and having fun with it.
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it → ’ → it
“I really don’t have any expectations of what could happen.
uncertain
what → have → expectations
I love going out there and competing, so you never know.”
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you → love → ?
Scherzer sits ninth on MLB’s all-time strikeout list with 3,550, 10 behind former teammate Justin Verlander, who wrapped up his career Saturday afternoon at age 43 by striking out six across 5 1/3 innings in a farewell start for the Detroit Tigers against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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who → sit → Pirates
DETROIT (AP) — Justin Verlander got an unexpected hook in his major league finale when his 7-year-old daughter came to the mound with Detroit …
DETROIT (AP) — Justin Verlander got an unexpected hook in his major league finale when his 7-year-old daughter came to the mound with Detroit …
The right-handers spent five years together in Detroit and made the playoffs in all but one of those seasons.
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handers → get → seasons
They reunited with the New York Mets in 2022, but a number of reports around that time suggested the two did not get along.
uncertain
two → reunite → time
Regardless of whether it’s a friendly rivalry or far less collegial, it’s clear they respect one another’s accomplishments.
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they → ’ → accomplishments
Scherzer said they had been in touch via text prior to Verlander’s last start, adding that his desire to pitch Sunday had nothing to do with chasing Verlander on the strikeout list.
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desire → say → list
“It’s funny how that’s unfolding,” Scherzer said.
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Scherzer → ’ → ?
“Here we are all these years later and we’re neck and neck in that regard ...
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we → ’re → regard
Everybody’s going to make a big deal about that.
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Everybody → go → that
That’s not what the motivation to pitch is.”
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motivation → ’ → ?
Operating on short rest, it’s unlikely that Scherzer will pitch deep into Sunday’s season finale.
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Scherzer → operate → finale
Whenever manager John Schneider does come to get him, it’s a safe bet it will be in the middle of an inning so fans can give him a proper send-off.
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fans → come → off
Scherzer has enjoyed one of the great pitching careers of his generation.
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Scherzer → enjoy → generation
He’s the kind of guy who will be talked about for years to come and even though fans around these parts only saw the tail-end firsthand, they should be grateful to have experienced it at all.
asserted
they → ’ → it
The Aporia
