TORONTO – Roughly 40 minutes before Justin Verlander took the mound at Comerica Park for his 557th and final major-league start, Max Scherzer sat in the dugout at Rogers Centre and contemplated the potential end of his own MLB career.

A crowd of reporters and cameras surrounded Scherzer as he settled in, dressed casually in sneakers and team-issued workout gear. A brief silence ensued and before anyone could fill it with questions, Scherzer started speaking.

“Ok,” he began. “I guess I can start off.”

Anticipating the questions about his own future, Scherzer addressed the topic immediately.

“The only thing I'll say about my future here is I'm going to make this decision about playing next year later in the off-season.”

Instead of rushing to a decision now, Scherzer wants to enjoy his final start of the season, an assignment against the Cincinnati Reds on three days’ rest that could be his last appearance with the Toronto Blue Jays, whether or not he continues his big-league career. His four kids will be on hand in Toronto to witness their dad pitch Game 162 as the Blue Jays’ 2026 season comes to an........

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