LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 29: A detailed view of Toronto Blue Jays hats and gloves before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

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Shaun McAvoy

By Shaun McAvoy

Contributing Sports Writer

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With the Toronto Blue Jays already dealing with injuries to multiple pitchers early on in spring training, the door to bringing back Max Scherzer has swung open.

Scherzer told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal earlier this offseason that he was willing to wait for the right situation, but after injuries to Shane Bieber, Bowden Francis and Yimi García, the Blue Jays are reportedly in serious talks to bring back the 41-year-old pitcher.

Toronto bolstered its starting rotation this offseason, adding Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, but signing Scherzer would have a major impact on how the team utilizes lefty hurler Eric Lauer this season.

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 29: A detailed view of Toronto Blue Jays hats and gloves before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

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Lauer made 15 starts for the Blue Jays last season, but was later relegated to a role out of the bullpen. The 30-year-old wants to return to Toronto's rotation this season, despite the recent Scherzer news.

“The whole bouncing back and forth thing last year kind of kind of hurt me in the long run, not physically, but, you know, my standing,” Lauer said, per The Athletic's Mitch Bannon. “So l’d really like to perform and kind of do what I did last year, show that I can start and hopefully maintain starting. The fact that I ended last year in the bullpen was probably what lost me my (arbitration) case.”

Lauer pitched well in his first season with Blue Jays after missing the 2024 season due to injury, posting a 3.18 ERA with 102 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings pitched.

Though Lauer wants to return to the starting rotation, it may be difficult with how stacked the Blue Jays' rotation is projected to be with Cease, Ponce, Bieber, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage and José Berríos all as options even without the team possibly bringing back Scherzer.

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