Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Thursday he expects veteran right-hander Max Scherzer to arrive in camp sometime over the weekend.
The skipper said via Keegan Matheson of MLB.com that Scherzer has been throwing bullpens and live batting practice, which he will do again after arriving in Dunedin, Fla., and going through his physical.
Max Scherzer has been throwing bullpens and live BP, which he’ll do again after arriving and going through his physical.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) February 26, 2026
For now, John Schneider expects him in camp sometime over the weekend. #BlueJays
Multiple reports indicated late Wednesday night that Scherzer and the Jays agreed to a one-year for 2026, which will be the future Hall-of-Famer’s 19th season.
He joins a crowded Jays pitching staff that includes Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, Cody Ponce, Jose Berrios and Eric Lauer. However, the unpredictability of a 162-game MLB season could mean he’s needed in the rotation before long.
Yesavage threw a combined 125.2 innings last season between the minors, regular season and postseason and Schneider said earlier this week the Jays wanted to be “strategic” about his innings this season. Berrios dealt with an elbow injury to close out last season and the Jays previously said they would be cautious with Bieber as he battles arm fatigue post Tommy John surgery. Ponce started 29 games last season in the Korea Baseball Organization, but he hasn’t pitched in an MLB game since 2021. And Lauer split 2025 between the starting rotation and bullpen, though he did indicate earlier in camp he would prefer to pitch out of the rotation.
Scherzer had a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts for the Jays last season and made another three starts in the postseason, including two in the World Series.
Scherzer dealt with injury throughout much of 2025 but did have his moments, including a five-start stretch from late July to mid-August where he had a 2.25 ERA. After the Blue Jays lost Game 7 of the World Series in heartbreaking fashion, Scherzer told reporters “there is no way that was my last pitch,” referring to when he left the game after 4.1 innings of work.
Originally taken with the 11th overall pick of the 2006 MLB Amateur Draft out of Mizzou, Scherzer has made 483 appearances, including 474 starts, for the Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Dodgers, Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks.
For his career, Scherzer is 221-117 with a 3.22 ERA and WHIP of 1.084 over 2,963.0 IP. His 3,489 strikeouts are 11th all-time and second among active players behind only his former Tigers teammate Justin Verlander (3,553).
