Toronto – Toronto Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins says that the arrival of experienced pitcher Max Scherzer will have an impact on and outside the field.
But Atkins, also the Jays Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, says that 40-year-old Scherzer brings more than three Cy Young Awards, two World Series victories and a whole series of other awards.
“There are not many people in the game who have more than Max,” he said. “That’s not about that. It’s about how he achieved performance … When someone has an elite level of competitiveness, that the bar lifted for others. It is something in professional sport that is difficult to quantify, but you can certainly feel it. “
“He goes up the bar for all of us here and that certainly includes me,” he added.
Scherzer, an eightyfold all-star who signed a contract of US $ 15.5 million with the Jays of a year with the Jays, comes from an injuries-worst season with Texas, but says he is exactly where he is for spring training must be.
“I have had a very good off season so far. I was able to do everything normally. I am looking for spring training on full tilt, “he told a virtual availability on Friday.
And he believes he has a lot to offer.
“I still have the feeling that I can pitch at a very high level. I can still compete at a high level, “he said. “And are part of a championship caliber team. And so that is so nice for me. I love being able to go outside and pitch, love to compete.
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“I have put all the praises and all things like that in the rearview mirror and just concentrate on what I can do this year. What else can I do this year and just go outside and keep winning. “
Scherzer welcomed the chance to return to the east coast and said it makes it easy to commute to the parental home in Florida where his children are at school.
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And Toronto offers “an opportunity to compete to win.”
“I don’t play alone to play. I want to play to win at the end of the day. So I really feel that Toronto offered that. “
He also received a positive Intel on the franchise of Chris Bassitt, a former teammate at the Mets and others.
The six-foot-three right-handed slots in a likely Toronto starting rotation by Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Bassitt and Bowden Francis.
Scherzer’s career record is 216 wins and 112 losses with a 3.16 ERA and 3,407 Strikeouts in a long and winding MLB -road that previously saw earlier stops with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and Texasers .
Scherzer was traded in July 2023 to the Rangers by the Mets, who signed him for a three -year contract, US $ 140 million. His previous deal was a seven -year contract of US $ 210 million with Washington before the 2015 season.
His career includes World Series -victories with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023.
Scherzer opened last season on the injured list after back-surgery outside the season. In the end he only made nine starts for the Rangers and placed a 2-4 record with a 3.95-run average before his season ended in September when he was placed on the injured list with a hamstring tribe.
At that time he called it “probably the most frustrating season of my career.”
It marked its least starts in a full season since his smoke year 2008 (seven Starts, 16 total competitions).
Last month, Toronto announced the arrival of Venezuelan All-Star Outfielder Anthony Santander, formerly of the Baltimore Orioles, to a five-year contract of US $ 92.5 million.
Other additions are right -handed Jeff Hoffman, formerly with Cleveland, on a three -year contract of US $ 33 million, second Honkman Andrés Giménez, right -handed Nick Sandlin and Outfielder Myles Straw (all via Trade from Cleveland), and left Hander Josh Walker, who last season Divided between the Mets and Pittsburgh, with a contract of a year of US $ 760,000.
Right -handed Yimi García, who split between Toronto and Seattle last season, returns to a two -year contract, US $ 15 million.
“We are confident that this is a very good group of players where we look forward to Jelling and look forward to winning many baseball games,” said Atkins.
Toronto finished last season in the American League East at 74-88.
Scherzer is in second place among active pitchers in Strikeouts (3,416), Gooidenen (2,878), wins (216) and Starts (457).
He is 11th in MLB history in Strikeouts, one of only 19 pitchers who have reached the Strikeout-Mark of 3000 career. His nine career seasons with 200-plus Strikeouts Trail Only Nolan Ryan (15), Randy Johnson (13), Roger Clemens (12) and Tom Seaver (10) for the most in MLB history.
The resident of St. Louis was taken in the first round of the 2006 design by Arizona and made his MLB debut for the Diamondbacks in 2008.
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This report from the Canadian Press was first published on 7 February 2025.
& copy 2025 The Canadian Press
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