Three teams that should take a chance on Max Scherzer

Max Scherzer might not be a Cy Young contender anymore, but he still might have something valuable left in the tank. 

Going into his age-42 season, the legendary ace’s age is starting to show in a damaging way. Last season with the Toronto Blue Jays, injuries limited Mad Max to 85 innings and allowed his ERA to soar to a career-worst 5.19. However, in the postseason, Scherzer gave us a glimpse of what made him great in his prime.

In 14.1 innings across three games, he allowed six runs, finishing with an ERA of 3.77. This figure was negatively influenced by his start in Game 3 of the World Series, in which he gave up three runs in 4.1 innings against the Dodgers. However, in Game 7, Scherzer bounced back, allowing just one run in 4.1 innings to the dangerous Dodgers batting order. Now a free agent, the three-time Cy Young Award winner could provide some stability for teams with postseason aspirations. These three teams, in particular, could benefit from such a signing.

New York Yankees 

The Yankees’ pursuit of a potential new ace has ended in failure. In search of an inexpensive starter with star power, New York decided try the trade market. However, its attempts fell through. Freddy Peralta was shipped off to the New York Mets, MacKenzie Gore was sent to the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers’ price for Tarik Skubal was far too high. They will head into 2026 with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon on the IL, hoping their unproven trade acquisition, southpaw Ryan Weathers, can hold down the fort. Now, it seems the Yankees are done for the offseason. Still, aside from being an inexpensive substitute starter, there are other reasons to add a veteran like Scherzer.

For one, it could be beneficial for budding young hurlers like Cam Schlittler to learn from one of the game’s finest. But more importantly, having Scherzer in the postseason could give the Yankees a boost. Rodon and Max Fried have been notoriously unreliable under the bright lights of the playoffs. If Scherzer can step in with a good outing, this could save the Yankees from repetitive grief.

Detroit Tigers 

Even with Skubal likely staying put, the Tigers’ rotation is still a weak spot. And with Jackson Jobe’s uncertain timeline regarding his return from Tommy John surgery, a reunion with Scherzer would make sense. The Tigers are reportedly in the market for a mid-tier arm, according to The Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold. And while Scherzer wasn’t listed as a starter the Tigers have interest in, having a postseason-proven pitcher with two championship rings could keep Detroit’s rotation from crumbling.

The Tigers’ pitching staff owned a 3.95 ERA last season, ranking 16^th in MLB. Last season, only two Detroit starters pitched more than 150 innings and only three topped 91. Skubal, the reigning Cy Young winner, was the only pitcher of the three with an ERA below 3.87. While Scherzer isn’t a sure bet when it comes to staying healthy, signing this future Hall of Famer would be a low-risk gamble.

Arizona Diamondbacks 

Why not go back where it all started? Scherzer’s career began with Arizona in 2008. Now, the Diamondbacks' rotation is in disrepair. Last season, their only starter with more than 65 innings pitched and an ERA lower than 4.83 was Ryne Nelson (3.39 ERA). The D-Backs did already make an improvement, bringing back Merrill Kelly, but with ace Corbin Burnes missing time after undergoing Tommy John surgery and uncertainty surrounding Zac Gallen, who is still on the market, signing Scherzer would make a solid contingency plan.