Scherzer pushes past 114 pitches in possible farewell start as Blue Jays top Reds

Scherzer empties the tank on three days' rest

Max Scherzer delivered seven innings of one-run ball on Sunday, working on three days' rest and reaching 114 pitches as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-1 at Rogers Center. The 42-year-old allowed one earned run on six hits, walked one and struck out seven, then surrendered the game in the eighth as Toronto closed its 2026 season. The outing marked his 501st appearance and 492nd start.

A mound confrontation that underscored the moment

With Scherzer already past 100 pitches in the seventh, Blue Jays manager John Schneider walked toward the mound as if to remove him, and Scherzer waved him off, drawing a loud reaction inside Rogers Center. Schneider retreated and let the right-hander finish the inning, after which Scherzer walked off to a standing ovation and tipped his cap. "If that doesn't sum up Max Scherzer, I don't know what does," Schneider said afterward. The right-hander later hugged first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after being relieved in the eighth.

Where Scherzer stands in the record book

Scherzer's seven strikeouts pushed his career total to 3,557, leaving him ninth on MLB's all-time punch list and three behind longtime teammate Justin Verlander, who made the final start of his own career on Saturday. The performance came in what would be his 20th major-league season if he returns, and his eighth All-Star selection was already part of his résumé alongside three Cy Young Awards.

Decision deferred, with labor cloud on the horizon

Scherzer said he has not announced a retirement and will wait until the offseason before choosing whether to pitch in 2027, citing uncertainty around upcoming labor negotiations between MLB and the Players' Association. "We don't need to make a decision today," he said, noting that "a lot of uncertainty" surrounds how 2027 might unfold. He finished 2026 with a 5.74 ERA and a 4-9 record.

Blue Jays close the year on a hopeful note

The win gave Toronto a positive final-day result even as the club fell short of its postseason goal, with teammate George Springer also receiving a send-off in the season finale. Toronto's broadcast partner Sportsnet grouped the afternoon into a farewell-themed package alongside Springer and the Reds finale, framing Scherzer's outing as a potential career capstone rather than a confirmed one.