Could the Philadelphia Phillies Trade for Max Scherzer?
It will certainly be a full-circle moment if Dave Dombrowski manages to pull off a trade that brings Max Scherzer to Philadelphia.
After all, Scherzer’s dominance really began in Detroit when Dombrowski orchestrated a three-way trade with the Diamondbacks and Yankees. Scherzer had made his MLB debut with the DBacks in 2008, and compiled a 3.86 ERA over 46 games in two seasons with them. In his first season as a Tiger in 2010, he posted a 3.50 ERA over 31 starts. Scherzer won his first Cy Young as a Tiger in 2013, the same year he became a wins leader for the first time and began his streak of 7 consecutive All-Star appearances.
After extension talks fell through in 2014, Dombrowski and “Mad Max” both departed Detroit in 2015 for greener pastures: Dombrowski led the Red Sox back to the World Series in 2018, and Scherzer’s Nationals won their first-ever championship in 2019. He also won a pair of back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2016 and 2017, one of only ten pitchers in MLB history to win three or more of baseball’s most prestigious pitching award.
Max Scherzer would be a serious upgrade for the Philadelphia Phillies.
With his track record and the fire he brings to the mound, Scherzer would be an upgrade for any rotation. The Philadelphia Inquirer notes that the Phillies are 16-19 in Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, and Zach Eflin’s starts. Scherzer has a 2.22 ERA and .818 WHIP in 12 starts this season, better numbers than any Phillies starter, and his team is 7-5 in his starts. But the Nationals are in last place in the NL East and lost 2/3 to the Phillies over the weekend; the only game they won in the series was Scherzer’s June 4 start. If a drastic turnaround doesn’t occur by the end of the month, punting the season and giving Scherzer a chance to win elsewhere would be the magnanimous and business-savvy move.
If the Nationals are serious about dealing their veteran ace, the Phillies will certainly have steep competition. The St. Louis Cardinals are likely to be interested in Scherzer, as will the Blue Jays, Cubs, Yankees, almost any team, really. Who wouldn’t want one of the best pitchers of the era?
Ultimately, the Phillies on-field product will be the biggest deciding factor in Dombrowski deciding to enter his horse into the proverbial Scherzer race. If they make a push to overtake the Braves during the ongoing series this week and inch closer to the Mets in the division, an upgrade like Scherzer could be the difference-maker for a team whose rotation is struggling.
Dave Dombrowski has traded for Max Scherzer before.
Dombrowski also has a history of bringing players with him from team to team: David Price (also acquired by the Tigers in a 3-team deal), Rick Porcello, Doug Fister, and JD Martinez were all players Dombrowski brought to Detroit and then to Boston. He pulled off a trade to get Scherzer once, maybe he can do it again.
On the other hand, the Phillies do not have much to offer the Nationals for Scherzer. MLB.com ranks Philadelphia’s farm system at 23, with only two of their prospects in the Top 100.
As a 2015 Boston Globe piece on Dombrowski and Scherzer noted, the exec is “willing to spend aggressively,” but “has his walkaway point.”
If the team doesn’t heat up and prove it’s worth immediate upgrades, it’s unlikely that Dombrowski will be willing to part with anyone substantial for a short-term Scherzer rental; his 7-year deal with the Nationals concludes at the end of this season.
Turning 37 in July, Scherzer probably won’t be part of any team’s long-term future. But he has a close relationship with Nats GM Mike Rizzo, who drafted him to the Diamondbacks way back when. It’s possible Rizzo and Scherzer agree he be loaned out to a contending team for the remainder of the season to vie for another ring before the Nationals bring him back on a deal that allows him to finish his career in DC.
The Phillies need upgrades to be true contenders. Maybe Dombrowski can land Scherzer for a second time.
Update:
The San Diego Padres are close to acquiring Max Scherzer from the Washington Nationals, per Ken Rosenthal.