The Washington Nationals have a chance to do something Detroit just did for Justin Verlander: give one of the game’s greats a proper final bow.
Verlander’s last career game came on the second to last day of the season, and the Tigers made sure the moment fit the man. Scherzer could be next in line for that kind of farewell, and Washington is the place where it would mean the most.
That’s because Max Scherzer isn’t just another veteran hanging around at the end of his career. He has spent the years since the Nationals dealt him at the 2021 trade deadline bouncing from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the New York Mets to the Texas Rangers and, most recently, the Toronto Blue Jays. He won the 2023 World Series with the Rangers, and in Toronto he won over fans with the same Mad Max edge and competitiveness that defined him in Washington.
At this stage, nobody should be expecting the old Scherzer line every fifth day - the six innings, nine strikeouts version that once felt routine. He’s not that pitcher anymore.
But the case for bringing him back for one last season isn’t about chasing a time machine. It’s about what he could still mean to a young club.
For one, Scherzer knows how to win.
This Nationals roster is young, and the core is starting to look like a group that can take a step forward. CJ Abrams is 26.
James Wood is 24. Brady House is 23.
Daylen Lile is 23. Cade Cavalli is 28, but he just finished his first full MLB season.
If there’s a player built to show that group how winning works, it’s Scherzer. He has the résumé, the rings, the awards, and the reputation for making teams better the moment he walks through the door.
Then there’s the daily example he sets. Watching Scherzer prepare for a start, or seeing how seriously he handles a bullpen session, would give younger players a clear look at what it takes to stay at the top of the sport.
The idea of Cade Cavalli and Connelly Early getting to pick his brain makes plenty of sense, and the same goes for Jarlin Susana in spring training and beyond if he gets called up. Scherzer would bring the kind of veteran presence and locker-room authority this team needs.
And then there’s the part that matters most in Washington: the fans.
Scherzer is the greatest player in Nationals history. When he signed in January of 2015, nobody could have predicted what came next: two Cy Young awards, two no-hitters, a World Series title in 2019, and a place as the first player who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame with a curly W on his plaque. He became the face of those great Nationals teams, the one fans still picture when they think about the best era the franchise has had.
When he pitched against the Nationals in D.C. earlier this season, there were some good moments. But that wasn’t the full-circle sendoff he deserves.
Washington should give him a whole year of appreciation for everything he did there, a real celebration of the glory years. To a generation of Nationals fans, he is Superman.
Bringing him back would be a step toward making sure next season doesn’t turn into another disappointment. The Lerners owe the fans that much: one more chance to celebrate Max Scherzer and everything he meant to Washington.
In Other News...
Luis Garca Jr.'s Next Yankees Decision Could Change How He's Viewed
Luis Garca Jr. has already given the Yankees something to think about since arriving from Washington. He spent most of his time with the Nationals at second base before making the move to first this season, and the change has not slowed him down at the plate. For a New York club that is always juggling bats, gloves and lineup paths, Garcas ability to handle first base while producing offensively has made him a useful piece in a roster mix that also includes Ben Rice, Giancarlo Stanton, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jos Caballero and Anthony Volpe.
Aaron Boone even left open the possibility of Garca returning to second base down the road, which says plenty about how the Yankees are viewing him. The larger question is where he fits best as the roster continues to evolve, especially with defensive versatility and contractual realities shaping the way the club thinks about the infield. For Garca, the next step in New York may say as much about how the Yankees see him as it does about where he stands on the diamond. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Face A Bigger Question Than Just Spending More
The Brewers have offered a useful reminder that roster building is not always about chasing the biggest checkbook. They pieced together a 103-win season with a $154 million payroll by leaning on second-tier pitchers, a deep bullpen and a balanced lineup, with Christian Yelich and Brice Turang among the players helping drive the offense. For the Nationals, the comparison lands in an especially relevant way, because the question is not simply whether the front office can spend more, but whether it can build a more complete club.
Washington has already shown it can hang with Milwaukee, which makes the broader lesson from this kind of model even more interesting. The Brewers approach, as discussed in analysis from Wilytics, points to offense that keeps improving and a run-scoring profile supported by complementary pieces rather than one expensive solution. For the Nationals, the bigger issue is whether they can find that same kind of balance, the sort that turns a decent payroll into a playoff-caliber roster. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Rebuild Faces Its Biggest Test In The Rotation
The offseason conversation around the Nationals keeps circling back to the same place: the rotation. Washington is expected to make meaningful pitching changes, and the starting staff has emerged as the clearest pressure point in a rebuild that still needs real stability. Cade Cavalli, Andrew Alvarez and Connelly Early give the club a young core to work with, but there is little doubt the group will need help if the Nationals want to take a step forward.
Jim Bowden pointed to that exact challenge, framing the pitching staff as the line between a team that is still searching and one that can start climbing back toward relevance. The Nationals also have several internal candidates competing for roles, which leaves the front office with a familiar offseason choice - chase higher-priced help on the market or trust development to carry more of the load. However they decide to proceed, the rotation is where this rebuild will be judged first. [Read more 🡒]