With the rotation market moving more quickly than the rest of free agency, the number of unsigned starting pitchers is dwindling. , and potential reliever conversion are at the top of the cla s. Beyond that, teams are evaluating pitchers wholl likely be limited to one- or two-year commitments. may be the most intriguing of those short-term targets. The future Hall of Famer was limited to nine starts and 43 1/3 innings during his final season with the Rangers. Scherzer has made clear that he has no plans to retire. Hell be back for his age-40 campaign in hopes of a healthier, more productive season. In a live stream for this afternoon, Jon Heyman suggested that Scherzer is fielding interest from four teams. Heyman indicated that the market is heating up a bit, so its po sible that the three-time Cy Young winner could come off the board in the relatively near future. Scherzer opened the 24 season on the injured list as he finished rehab from last Decembers back surgery. Nerve irritation in his throwing hand delayed his return until late June. Scherzer made eight starts before going back on the shelf with shoulder fatigue. That kept him out into September. His season concluded after one additional start because of a strained left hamstring. A pitcher battling multiple injuries, including back surgery, at age 40 is obviously going to raise concerns. Scherzer is only one season removed from starting 30 games and topping 160 innings between the regular season and playoffs. Hed surpa sed 170 innings in every full schedule between 2009-21. Until last year, hed been incredibly durable. Scherzer remains productive when hes able to Jacob Barnes Jersey pitch, albeit not at a Cy Young level. He turned in a 3.77 ERA with a 28% strikeout rate between the Mets and Rangers in 2023. Last season, he allowed just under four earned runs per nine with a diminished 22.6% strikeout percentage. Scherzer still got a ton of chases and whiffs on a per-pitch basis though. His 14.6% swinging strike rate ranked fifth among starting pitchers with 40+ innings. Only , , and mi sed bats at a higher rate. Aside from perhaps Flaherty, Scherzer arguably has the highest ceiling for next season alone of any unsigned starter. Theres also significant risk because of the recent spate of injuries. Scherzer will almost certainly be limited to a one-year contract, so the long-term downside is limited, but he should command a strong salary. landed $15MM from the Tigers coming off a season in which he combined for 23 innings between the regular season and playoffs. He recently turned 37 and doesnt mi s bats at anywhere near the rate Scherzer does. It stands to reason that Scherzer and his representation at the Boras Corporation will be aiming to beat Cobb money, perhaps in pursuit of a contract closer to $20MM. Heymans report doesnt specify any of the teams involved in the bidding. Speculatively speaking, the Braves, Orioles, Blue Jays, Cubs, Nationals and Mets are among the teams that could have some spending room and a desire for a short-term upside play. Scherzer isnt going to sign with a team that doesnt have a path to contention, but there are very few truly rebuilding clubs right now. Every team aside from Colorado, Miami and the White Sox may feel they have a path to a Wild Card spot. James Wood Jersey
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