Max Scherzer spins gem in what could be the final start of his Hall of Fame career

If this was future Hall of Famer's final time toeing the rubber, he went out battling in 5-1 win over Cincinnati

Published Sep 27, 2026  •  3 minute read

Max Scherzer of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Baltimore Orioles. Getty Images

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Max Scherzer was sent out to start the game on his own.  

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It may have been the only way he would publicly acknowledge that the day might indeed be a special one for him. 

A competitor like Scherzer normally wouldn’t be caught dead making something of a meaningless September start with nothing on the line for either team. So without teammates and no catcher to throw to, Scherzer had no alternative but to acknowledge the appreciation another sellout crowd was sending his way. 

If this was Scherzer’s final time toeing the rubber in an unquestionable Hall of Fame career, he went out like one would expect, battling to the end and coming out on the right side of a 5-1 Jays win. 

It came on the final day of the Jays’ season with his wife and kids watching on from the seats immediately beside the Jays dugout. 

Manager John Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays walks to the mound to talk to Max Scherzer during the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series at T-Mobile Park on Oct 16, 2025, in Seattle. Photo by Alika Jenner /Getty Images

Future Hall of Famer feisty to the end

Scherzer was sitting between 92 and 94 m.p.h. with his fastball from pitch 1 to well into the triple digits in pitches all afternoon. 

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Manager John Schneider appeared to come out with the hook for Scherzer with two outs in the seventh, although this might have been more drama than actual intent. 

Scherzer could be seen telling his manager in so many words that he wasn’t done and Schneider, who has been down this road before, complied and left his ageless starter in there despite already being well over 100 pitches. 

Scherzer finished off the inning getting Will Banfield to pop out to second. But just as he did at the end of the sixth, Scherzer ran down into the dugout without even a glance at Schneider, who could only laugh. Scherzer’s meaning was clear. He was going back out there. 

Sure enough, Scherzer walked out to even louder applause to start the eighth and even when he walked Oswaldo Cabrera on five pitches, the crowd was with him. But at 114 pitches and, let’s not forget, 42 years old, Scherzer gave a half-hearted efffort to talk his skipper into one more batter, but it was not to be. 

Even Scherzer knew his time was up, smiling at his manager before embracing him. He did the same with the teammates on the field with him and waved to the Jays bullpen that had emptied and stood on the warning track offering their own appreciation. 

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Career win No. 225 in the books

Once in the dugout, he shared hugs with every one of his teammates, coaches and team staff, saving an extra long squeeze for George Springer who like Scherzer may have been saying his farewell to the game that has meant so much to both of them. 

Scherzer then made his way to the end of the dugout, hopping over a wall to embrace his family. 

Scherzer finished the day with seven-plus innings, allowing one run on six hits, seven strikeouts and that one walk on his final batter of the game, the season and perhaps his storied career. 

Scherzer made it clear on Saturday in a sit-down with reporters that he was not ready to call it a career. He wanted more time to think about it. But looming as a huge impediment to any comeback is a potential work stoppage next season with the owners insisting on a salary cap and the players dug in on not wanting one. It could be a lengthy battle. 

Scherzer will make his decision when he makes his decision, but if it does end here, it ends with win No. 225 in the books, fighting right to the bitter end like only a competitor can. 

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