Two future Hall of Fame starting pitchers nearing the end of their careers were on the free agent market this offseason. One of them, Justin Verlander, signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. The other one is Max Scherzer who remains a free agent.
Scherzer recently threw in front of interested teams with the Phillies having scouts in attendance, per Sports Illustrated’s Pat Ragazzo. The Phillies’ level of interest in the veteran right-hander is unknown, but it could be more than just due diligence.
Scherzer is 40 years old and looking to compete before hanging up his cleats.
Phillies signing Max Scherzer looks impossible thanks to Justin Verlander's contract
The Phillies’ payroll is among Major League Baseball’s highest, and that comes with consequences. The team’s offseason acquisitions all but secured breaking through the fourth luxury tax threshold.
Entering the fourth luxury tax threshold means the Phillies will have to pay a 110 percent tax on all overages. Scherzer will command a similar contract that Verlander recently signed, meaning the Phillies will not be a likely destination for the three-time Cy Young. A one-year, $15 million contract would cost the Phillies $31.5 million after the tax.
Verlander will be 42 in a few days, and Scherzer will turn 41 in July. The age difference, albeit not much, may warrant a larger contract for Scherzer than what Verlander received.
Outside of the age and monetary factors, signing Scherzer comes with risk. He dealt with various injuries throughout the 2024 season, making just nine starts for the Texas Rangers. He went 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA across 43 1/3 innings pitched.
Scherzer has been declining, as expected with a pitcher his age. The eight-time All-Star can still give a team valuable innings, but he likely won’t be worth the financial situation he’d put the Phillies in.
The Phillies made a major trade acquiring former Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo this offseason. The 27-year-old will enter a starting rotation that featured three All-Stars in 2024. Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez and Luzardo will arguably be the top rotation in the majors in 2025.
Signing Scherzer doesn’t make sense for the team’s plans. Top pitching prospect Andrew Painter is gearing up to make his major league debut and will enter the rotation when his time comes. The Phillies have two veteran swingman pitchers, Taijuan Walker and the recently acquired Joe Ross. Wheeler and Nola publicly expressed their displeasure with a six-man rotation, and signing Scherzer would all but guarantee that.
It’s a fun thought of Scherzer wearing a Phillies uniform, but the logistics of it don’t make sense.