Justin Verlander’s retirement announcement has put a fresh spotlight on another familiar name in Toronto: Max Scherzer.
Verlander said Wednesday that he plans to make the 2026 season his last, posting on social media that, "While I'm fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I've decided this will be my last," and adding, "It's fitting I get to finish where it all started - with the Detroit Tigers." The 43-year-old is in his 21st MLB season and was added to this year’s All-Star roster as a Legend Pick by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. He has been on the injured list since April, likely won’t pitch in the game, but is expected to be in attendance and honored during the week-long festivities.
For the Blue Jays, Verlander’s news brings Scherzer into focus. The two were Tigers teammates from 2010 through 2014, with Verlander already established as one of the game’s top arms while Scherzer grew into an ace after arriving from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Scherzer won his first Cy Young in 2013, two years after Verlander claimed his first.
They were back together briefly in 2023 with the New York Mets, a pairing that never really clicked. Both were traded at the deadline that season after the Mets fell out of the race.
The connection to Toronto goes beyond their shared past. Verlander had a mixed track record against the Blue Jays, going 4-8 with a 4.36 ERA in 17 games.
That ERA was the fifth worst of his career against a single opponent, though he still struck out 101 batters in 109.1 innings. He also authored two of his three career no-hitters against Toronto, both at Rogers Centre.
The first came on May 7, 2011, when he walked one, struck out four and needed 108 pitches in a 9-0 Tigers win. The second arrived on Sept. 1, 2019, when he was dominant again for the Houston Astros, fanning 14, walking one and throwing 120 pitches in a 2-0 win.
Now the question in Toronto circles is whether Scherzer could be headed down the same road.
This is Scherzer’s 19th big-league season, and the numbers have been rough. In 22 innings, he has allowed a .303 batting average against, posted a 13.7 K% and a 10.8 BB%, and carries an 8.80 FIP and a 1.27 WHIP. He has already made several comeback attempts this year and is working on another one now.
At one point, the Blue Jays expected Scherzer to be a stabilizing veteran at the back of the rotation, someone motivated to pile up innings and cash in on incentives tied to workload. Instead, they’ve gotten a pitcher whose best days appear to be behind him.
None of that erases what Scherzer has done, especially his 2025 postseason run for Toronto, which remains the stuff of legends. But with the 2026 season moving in a direction nobody saw coming, it wouldn’t be a shock if Scherzer followed Verlander into retirement.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Fans Will Love Who Just Got Dragged Back Into Focus
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Bucknor has not worked since April 1 after taking a 100.2 mph fastball off his face mask in a Brewers-Rays game, and his recent absence has only added to the sense that one of baseballs longest-tenured umpires is nearing the end of the line. He has also been a frequent focal point in the leagues new Automated Ball-Strike Challenge system, with seven of his nine challenge calls overturned, the highest rate among MLB umpires. For a Blue Jays fan base that remembers the flashpoints, the timing of his retirement news is the kind of detail that gets noticed right away. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Framed The Blue Jays Deadline Pressure Perfectly
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Passans list of possible fits is broad enough to show just how many directions Toronto could go, from frontline arms to infield help and even catching depth. The bigger takeaway for the Blue Jays is the pressure baked into that kind of shopping list: if they are going to make a real push, they may need to act before the market and the standings leave them with fewer options. [Read more 🡒]
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Pulls Out Of All-Star Game At Crucial Time
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was voted in as the American Leagues starting first baseman for the 2026 All-Star Game, but he will not take part in the festivities. The Blue Jays slugger made the call before the starters were announced, choosing to use the break to recharge after a stretch in which his production has fallen short of expectations.
For Toronto, the timing matters as much as the decision itself. Guerrero has been managing a lower back issue for about a month, and the plan is to give him space to get right for the second half, where the Blue Jays will need him closer to his best. He also thanked the fans who put him in position to start, leaving the club with a notable absence but a clear reminder that the bigger priority is what comes after the break. [Read more 🡒]