Former Ranger, future Hall of Famer will enter record book during 2025 World Series

Max Scherzer is without a doubt one of the best Major League Baseball pitchers of his era and perhaps one of the biggest in the history of the game.

At 41 years old, Scherzer is one of only three active MLB pitchers with at least 3,000 strikeouts and 200 wins. This Friday, when the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers kick off the Fall Classic in Toronto, Scherzer will tie a MLB record of playing in four World Series with four different teams.

A record that will tie Lonnie Smith, Scherzer is two for three in championships and is looking to get his third ring with the Blue Jays, but it won't be easy.

Scherzer's tenure with Rangers included his second World Series ring

Scherzer arrived in Arlington in 2023 from the New York Mets as a mid-season addition due to Texas's rotation injuries. The Rangers parted ways with one of their top infielder prospects in Luisangel Acuna to get Mad Max.

It was the hope of President of Baseball Operations Chris Young that Scherzer would slot in nicely with Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Dane Dunning and newly-aqcuired lefty Jordan Montomgery down the important stretch of the season.

He did just that, making eight starts for Texas to the tune of a 4-2 record, 3.20 ERA, 53 strikeouts, 15 walks and 0.95 WHIP in 45 regular season innings. Although he did experience injuries over that stretch he did return in the postseason and gave Texas 8.2 innings in three games, including three shutout innings in Game 3 of the World Series.

Scherzer spent the rest of '23 and entirety of '24 with the Rangers before signing a one-year deal with the Blue Jays prior to the regular season. One that could pay off very well for him.

Not only was that the first World Series ring in franchise history for Texas, it was Scherzer's second ring overall, previously winning one in 2019 with the Washington Nationals.

Have shades of old Mad Max Scherzer returned to Toronto in 2025?

Scherzer's age 41 season wasn't smooth for him. His 5.19 ERA in 17 starts was the worst mark of his career and rightfully expected from a pitcher in his 18th big league season.

His September was also something Blue Jays' fans wish to forget, surrendering 17 runs in only 15 innings of work for a horrendous 10.20 ERA.

But something Scherzer-esque happened in his only postseason appearance of the year for Toronto. During the American League Championship Series, Scherzer started Game 4 for the Blue Jays and it was like watching vintage Mad Max make his return to baseball's biggest stage known.

He went past the limit anyone expected from him to throw 5.2 innings, giving up just three hits and two earned runs in Toronto's 8-2 win that tied the series at 2-2 after Seattle took a commanding 2-0 lead earlier in the series.

Everything from the curveball and relentless staredowns to the passion after a strikeout and classic Mad Max burst of emotion when John Schneider tried to take him out of the game in the fifth innings. It was all vintage Scherzer and one the Blue Jays are hoping to get at some point in this best-of-four World Series.