Toronto Blue Jays veteran Max Scherzer remains undecided on his playing future beyond the 2026 season, stating he will wait until the offseason to weigh retirement against a looming Major League Baseball lockout and potential contract offers.
Max Scherzer still rocks back and forth and bounces when he talks about baseball. The topic alone electrifies him. Sitting in front of the gathered media inside the Toronto dugout on Saturday, the 42-year-old right-hander addressed mounting speculation regarding his career before the Blue Jays‘ regular-season finale against the Cincinnati Reds at Rogers Centre.
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 said Saturday afternoon, sitting in front of the gathered media inside Toronto’s dugout. I’ve talked to everybody in my inner circle, and we all kind of feel the same way — we don’t need to make a decision today.
Max Scherzer to make retirement decision in offseason
With a 2026 campaign marked by a 6.14 ERA across 77 2/3 innings and a series of injuries, questions naturally loom over whether Sunday’s start will mark the final outing of a storied 19-season career. But Scherzer made it clear that no immediate announcement is coming.
Contract Status, Production, and the Looming Collective Bargaining Standoff
Scherzer’s performance has dipped from his peak years. His 18.1% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate in 2026 represent career worsts, and he has struggled to keep the ball in the park during his two seasons in Toronto. During the 2024-25 offseason, Toronto initially inked him to a one-year, $15.5MM agreement, before re-signing him for 2026 on another one-year contract, which carried a guaranteed value of just $3MM. He has collected an additional $2MM through bonuses, and stands to gain another $1MM should he throw at least 7 1/3 innings tomorrow.
Blue Jays’ Max Scherzer undecided on playing future beyond
Beyond on-field production, a major macro-level factor weighs heavily on the veteran ace. The expiration of the current CBA on Dec. 1 signals the start of a critical confrontation between club owners and the players’ union — high-stakes negotiations that cast a shadow of doubt over the viability of next season.
You just don’t know how the season’s going to happen or unfold, or what opportunity is going to be in front of me. So it’s been kind of actually freeing,
Scherzer said. I’ve been thinking this way for the past, let’s say six weeks here, and nothing’s really changed.
That impending labor standoff is a big part of the calculus for Scherzer, who has been heavily involved in MLBPA leadership in the past. Combined with the uncertainty of the offseason schedule, stepping away remains a genuine possibility.
Chasing History and Pitching in Front of Family at Rogers Centre
Max Scherzer Undecided About Pitching Beyond 2026
Sunday’s start carries immediate milestones alongside the emotional weight of a potential farewell. With 3,550 strikeouts, Scherzer sits ninth on the all-time list and remains in pursuit of Verlander heading into his final outing on Sunday.
More pressing for the veteran is sharing the field with his family. Because his children—Brooke, Kacey, Derek, and Nikki—returned to school a month ago, they were unable to travel to Baltimore to watch his previous start versus the Orioles. Sunday’s game gives them a chance to watch him pitch in Toronto once more.
They enjoy that I play baseball, and they love coming to the field and being here at the park,
Scherzer said. They get treated great, so they definitely have fun when I’m playing baseball.
