TORONTO — A crowd of 42,131 attended the season finale for both teams in Toronto. The fans gave Scherzer a standing ovation when he took the mound alone before the game, and he waved to the crowd in response.

Scherzer threw 114 pitches in the game, allowing one run. The 114 pitches were his most in a game since 2020. He recorded his final strikeouts to reach the milestone total during his outing.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider attempted to remove Scherzer from the game after his seventh inning. Scherzer initially refused to leave the mound when Schneider approached him. The pitcher stayed on the field and pitched one additional inning after initially refusing to leave. Upon finally leaving the mound, Scherzer hugged Schneider.

After the game, Scherzer jumped into the stands and hugged his family. The victory improved his season record, though he finished the year with a 4-9 win-loss record and a 6.14 ERA in the 2026 season.

Scherzer ranks ninth in Major League Baseball history for career strikeouts. He is three strikeouts behind Justin Verlander on the all-time strikeout list. Verlander made the final start of his career on Saturday, one day before Scherzer's milestone performance.

Scherzer and Verlander were teammates on the Detroit Tigers from 2010 to 2014. Verlander retired after making his final start on September 25, 2026, against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Scherzer turned 42 in July. He is a two-time World Series champion and a three-time Cy Young Award winner. He has also pitched two no-hitters in his career and is an eight-time MLB All-Star. His career record stands at 224-126 with a 3.29 ERA over 500 games.

Scherzer stated he would wait until the offseason to decide whether to retire. "I've talked to everybody in my inner circle, and we all kind of feel the same way," Scherzer said. "We don't need to make a decision today. Get to the offseason and just see how things unfold."

Why It Matters

The events described span 17 years, from 2010 to 2027. Scherzer's accumulation of 3,557 strikeouts places him ninth on the all-time list, as confirmed by multiple reports including the Toronto Star. He recorded 3,550 strikeouts during the 2026 season, according to a report from ClutchPoints.com.

The milestone comes as Scherzer evaluates his future given labor uncertainties. His performance in the season finale demonstrated his continued ability to pitch deep into games despite his age and recent season statistics. The proximity to Verlander's retirement shows the end of an era for pitchers who debuted in the late 2000s.

Timeline

On June 30, 2026, the Toronto Blue Jays played a Major League Baseball regular-season game at Rogers center. Max Scherzer turned 42 in July. On September 25, 2026, Justin Verlander, Scherzer’s former teammate, retired after making his final start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, as reported by the Winnipeg Free Press. Justin Verlander made the final start of his career on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

On September 27, 2026, Max Scherzer struck out seven batters over seven-plus innings in the Toronto Blue Jays' 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. On that same date, Max Scherzer ranked ninth in Major League Baseball history for career strikeouts. His career strikeout total reached 3,557 on September 27, 2026. Also on September 27, 2026, it was noted that Max Scherzer has a career ERA of 6.14 in the 2026 season.

What's New

Additional reporting indicates Max Scherzer has a career ERA of 6.14 in the 2026 season. Max Scherzer said, "So you just don't know how the season's going to happen or unfold, or what opportunity is going to be in front of me." Max Scherzer has accumulated 3,557 strikeouts in his career, placing him ninth on the all-time list, as confirmed by multiple reports including the Toronto Star.

Further details show Max Scherzer threw 114 pitches in the game. Max Scherzer said, "I've talked to everybody in my inner circle, and we all kind of feel the same way." He said, "We don't need to make a decision today. Get to the offseason and just see how things unfold." He said, "We've also got a lot of uncertainty next year with all the labor issues." Max Scherzer recorded 3,550 strikeouts during the 2026 season, according to a report from ClutchPoints.com.