Max Scherzer remains unsure about whether or not he’ll return for a 20th MLB season in 2027.

The 42-year-old right-hander expects there to be a lockout this off-season and he plans on pitching in “lockout games” to see how his body responds and to gauge whether or not he’ll pitch in 2027. The insane competitor is just three strikeouts behind former teammate Justin Verlander for ninth place on the all-time strikeout list, which could add extra motivation to return. Injuries limited Scherzer to just 84 2/3 mostly ineffective innings during the 2026 campaign, though he did pitch well down the stretch. Even if he does return, his days of fantasy relevancy are in the rearview mirror.