Max Scherzer earned a total of $15.5 million last season playing for the Toronto Blue Jays and helping them reach the World Series, which they ultimately lost to the Dodgers. According to Spotrac’s Market Value projection, the Blue Jays might have to pay significantly less to bring the veteran back to the mound next season.
Spotrac values Scherzer at only a $9 million average annual salary. While this is not a definitive salary figure, it indicates that he could potentially return to the Blue Jays for an amount inferior to what he earned last year.
It should be remembered that Scott Boras is Scherzer’s agent, meaning negotiations will not be easy for the Blue Jays. The most interesting fact is that despite being a veteran pitcher, he has not received a salary of less than $10 million since 2013; from that point on, $15.5 million has been his minimum take-home pay.
Blue Jays ready to spend money
In a recent article for Sportsnet, Shi Davidi revealed that the Blue Jays would be willing to spend money to bring in more top arms should they fail to negotiate with Scherzer. This includes a former Phillies starter who is now a free agent.
“…Something to keep in mind as the Blue Jays explore the markets for the likes of Dylan Cease (whom they tried to trade for last off-season), Ranger Suárez, Michael King and Tatsuya Imai,” Davidi wrote, detailing how the team has identified alternatives to reinforce the mound.
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But these are not the only options. According to Davidi, the Blue Jays are prepared to spend big this offseason to bring different kind of players, similar to other major teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, and Mets, a notion also supported by Bob Nightengale’s reporting.
