**Max Scherzer Set to Start Game 3 of World Series for Blue Jays Against Dodgers**
LOS ANGELES — Max Scherzer has pitched for five teams since 2019, three of which reached the World Series. The former Mets co-ace has already earned championship rings with the Nationals and Rangers during that stretch. Now, if Scherzer is going to add a piece of Blue Jays hardware to his collection, he’ll need to contribute Monday night when he is scheduled to face the Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series.
At 41 years old, Scherzer understands the magnitude of the moment, even after all his previous October battles. He will be starting a World Series game for a fourth franchise—a feat few achieve. Scherzer also pitched for the Tigers in their 2012 World Series loss to the Giants.
This journey stands in contrast to that of his Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly, who reached the World Series for the first time in his 36th season in a major league uniform. Reflecting on this milestone, Scherzer said, “You just think about all, throughout your whole life, all the different things that have unfolded, and just so fortunate to have another crack at this. There are so many great players that have never gotten to a World Series, so many great players where they only have one World Series. With Donnie on our team, you know, he’s gone his whole career and now this is his first moment.”
The current World Series has already seen a starting pitcher leave a strong mark. In Saturday’s Game 2, Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto fired his second straight complete game, retiring the final 20 batters to even the series 1-1 at Chavez Ravine.
The Dodgers plan to deploy Tyler Glasnow in Game 3, who is part of a formidable four-headed monster rotation that also includes Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, and Yamamoto.
Scherzer, who joined the Blue Jays last winter on a one-year contract worth $15.5 million, credited his former Mets teammate and current Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt for influencing his decision to head north of the border.
“[Bassitt] has a really good pulse on what this clubhouse and team needed,” Scherzer explained. “We were talking throughout the whole offseason, and when things started moving in my direction, it just kind of seemed to all click that getting back with him would be a great thing for me and that this was a team that could really go somewhere. They just needed to make a few adjustments. But he was really kind of the eyes and ears of what this team could be.”
During the 2024 season, Scherzer started 17 games for the Blue Jays and pitched to a 5.19 ERA. He spent nearly three months early in the season on the injured list while rehabbing from a right thumb injury. After a six-start stretch to close the regular season where he had a 9.00 ERA, questions arose about his place in the postseason. He was not utilized in the ALDS.
However, Scherzer made a significant impact in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Mariners, allowing two earned runs over 5 ²/₃ innings to secure the win. He credited his three weeks off between starts for revitalizing his performance.
“It was really about getting fully healthy, getting over all the little ailments I had so that I could be getting through the ball again and throwing the ball as well as I can,” Scherzer said. “So yeah, I used that time in the division series to get fully healthy, and it felt like that benefited me. So I’m ready to go out there and compete in Game 3.”
Scherzer’s last World Series start came for the Rangers in Game 3 last year against the Diamondbacks. He was removed after three shutout innings due to back tightness. Despite the disappointment of that outing, Scherzer says it will not affect his mindset for Monday.
“I [won’t] be looking backwards at all for any motivation,” he said. “I have plenty of motivation. I’m here to win and I’ve got a clubhouse full of guys who want to win too. So we’re a great team and that’s the only thing I need to think about.”
https://nypost.com/2025/10/26/sports/max-scherzer-fully-healthy-for-crack-at-world-series-ring-with-blue-jays/