Max Scherzer and the Blue Jays' Deadline Dilemma
Max Scherzer gave Toronto exactly what it needed — and the front office decided to keep him around to give it again.
The Mizzou alum was front and center in Blue Jays trade deadline drama this week, delivering a strong 6-inning, 1-run outing against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, Aug. 2, scattering 4 hits and striking out 5. It wasn't enough to win — Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore matched him pitch for pitch, and Toronto fell 5–1 after the bullpen collapsed in the ninth — but Scherzer's performance only complicated the front office's calculus heading into the deadline.
It was vintage Scherzer in the postgame, too. Asked about the possibility of a trade, he put the responsibility squarely back on Toronto. "If they sell, that's on us," Scherzer said, a line that managed to sound simultaneously like a rallying cry and an indictment.
The trade market was swirling around him. When the Dodgers landed Tarik Skubal in a blockbuster deal, analysts quickly noted it reshaped the pitching market and opened new doors for contenders looking at Blue Jays arms — Scherzer and Kevin Gausman chief among them. General manager Ross Atkins fielded offers, but ultimately chose to hold.
Atkins explained the decision publicly, saying the organization felt comfortable keeping Scherzer, George Springer, Shane Bieber, and other veterans rather than pivoting to a full sell-off. For a franchise still nominally competing, the calculus made sense on paper — though the Cardinals loss was hardly an advertisement for that optimism.
Scherzer took the ball again on Saturday, Aug. 8 against the Phillies, logging 5.1 innings, 2 earned runs, and 4 strikeouts. His ERA sits at 7.25 on the season — a number that reflects a rougher overall campaign, even if his week-to-week stuff has shown flashes of the three-time Cy Young winner Columbia, Missouri produced.
Houck Rehabbing, Eyes Return
The other Mizzou arm worth tracking in the American League is Tanner Houck, though Red Sox fans will need to wait a bit longer. Houck, who underwent Tommy John surgery last season, is reportedly making strong enough progress that Boston believes he could contribute to the 2026 club before the year is out. No stats to log yet, but the rehab trajectory is trending positive.
Fairbanks Flashes Swing-and-Miss Stuff
Down in Miami, Pete Fairbanks had a quietly encouraging week. The Mizzou righty punched out 3 batters across a perfect inning of work for the Marlins on Saturday, Aug. 8, following a 1-K appearance in a one-inning stint on Aug. 2. Fairbanks carries a 6.19 ERA, but the strikeout rate in his most recent outing suggests the swing-and-miss stuff isn't gone — just inconsistent.
The headline of Missouri's MLB week belongs to Scherzer, as it so often does. The Blue Jays didn't sell. Whether that turns out to be boldness or denial may depend on what the 40-year-old Mizzou alum does with the rest of his season.
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