Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer has agreed to return to the Toronto Blue Jays on a one-year, $3 million contract, reuniting with the club after helping it reach the World Series last season. The deal brings Scherzer back for his 19th major league campaign and gives Toronto a familiar veteran presence as it looks to contend again in 2026.

At 41, Scherzer is no longer has the durability of his prime, but he showed during last October’s run that he can still deliver in big moments. Despite finishing the regular season with a 5.19 ERA across 17 starts, he elevated his performance in the postseason, posting a 3.77 ERA in three outings. His most notable start came in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he allowed just one run over 4 1/3 innings. After finally resolving lingering thumb issues that had bothered him for several seasons, Scherzer became determined to pitch again in 2026.

Scherzer spent much of the first half of 2025 on the injured list as he worked through those thumb injuries, which caused discomfort throughout his arm and shoulder and limited his ability to pitch deep into games. After returning in late June, he found a rhythm, pitching at least five innings in 10 of his first 11 starts back and recording a 3.34 ERA in August. A rough September inflated his overall numbers, but his strong postseason reinforced his value to Toronto, particularly for a rotation that needs stability early in the year.

While Scherzer no longer brings the consistency that once made him a perennial Cy Young contender, his upside remains clear. A future Hall of Famer with 221 career wins, two championships and eight top-five Cy Young finishes, he still offers leadership, competitiveness and the ability to rise to the occasion when healthy. Even as he enters his late 40s in baseball years, Scherzer’s return gives the Blue Jays experienced depth and a proven big-game arm as they prepare for another push toward October.