Max Scherzer Narrowly Misses Mark for $1M Blue Jays Contract Bonus for 2026 MLB Season

Toronto Blue Jays veteran starter Max Scherzer turned back the clock with seven strikeouts in Sunday's 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds for his 225th career victory, but it wasn't enough to secure one of his contract bonuses.

Scherzer pitched seven strong innings (on 114 pitches) on three days of rest in Sunday's win and came out to start the eighth, but he walked the first batter he faced before being removed from the game. The 42-year-old finished the season with 84.2 innings pitched, falling one out short of earning a $1 million contract incentive.

Per Spotrac , Scherzer already earned $2 million for surpassing 65 and 75 innings pitched this season. He had $1 million in incentives available for every 10 innings he pitched after 75 innings.

Of course, the Blue Jays could choose to reward Scherzer with his $1 million bonus despite barely missing the mark. The New York Yankees famously still gave Hall of Famer CC Sabathia a $500,000 performance bonus even though he was ejected from his final regular-season start six outs shy of the 155 innings needed to fulfill the incentive.

Scherzer could be nearing the end of his legendary career, so it was fun to see him in vintage form in Sunday's regular-season finale.