In a blockbuster offseason move, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed Mizzou alumnus Max Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5 million deal.
The signing comes after a 2024 season in which Scherzer spent time on the injured list with the Texas Rangers.
Scherzer, 40, posted a 3.95 ERA in nine starts in 2024, striking out 40 over 43 1/3 innings with a 1.15 WHIP.
In mid-September, he was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring injury, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
The future Hall of Famer is arguably one of the greatest athletes to come out of Mizzou.
Over his 17-year career, he has amassed more than 3,400 strikeouts, 216 wins, and three Cy Young Awards while finishing in the top three in voting three additional times.
He is still pursuing his fourth Cy Young, which would make him just the fifth player to win the award four times, joining legends such as Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux.
After a long and challenging offseason, the Blue Jays landed Scherzer to round out a rotation that already features big names like Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt.
Toronto had several misses this offseason, pursuing some of the biggest names on the market, including Juan Soto and Roki Sasaki.
Scherzer joins new faces in Toronto, including Anthony Santander, Andrés Giménez, and Jeff Hoffman, as the Blue Jays aim to return to the postseason in a competitive AL East.
They will team up with returning stars such as Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and George Springer in hopes of improving on their 74-88 record in 2024, which saw them finish last in the division.