3 teams that have no excuse not to step up and keep Max Scherzer from joining the Dodgers

With most of the high-end free agents off the board, Max Scherzer is one of the better options out there for teams still searching for starting pitching. He might not be the Cy Young caliber pitcher he once was, but Scherzer, on a fairly cheap one-year deal, offers upside few arms still available can match.

Scherzer threw in front of several teams, according to Pat Ragazzo of SI. One of the teams that attended was the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers don't make a whole lot of sense for Scherzer on paper, considering the slew of arms that they already have, but as many say, you can never have enough starting pitching.

Scherzer back in a Dodgers uniform is an image no team should want to see. With that in mind, these three teams that were at Scherzer's showcase should do what they realistically can to sway Scherzer away from Hollywood.

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3. A Max Scherzer reunion makes more sense for the Mets than their fan base would want to believe

I get it, New York Mets fans. Max Scherzer's short tenure in Queens did not go as well as anyone might have hoped. He was booed off the mound in his lone postseason start for the team, struggled in the 2023 regular season, and the Mets ate a substantial amount of money to trade him at the 2023 trade deadline. With all of that being said, though, Scherzer makes a lot of sense for New York baseball-wise.

The Mets rotation, relative to the rest of their roster, leaves a lot to be desired - at least on paper. Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea at the top are solid, but guys like Frankie Montas, Clay Holmes, and David Peterson all have question marks. Can Montas get back to the guy he once was? Can Holmes be a reliable starter? Can Peterson repeat what was a breakout 2024 campaign?

As if those questions weren't concerning enough, the sixth starter spot is even murkier. Guys like Paul Blackburn, Griffin Canning, and Tylor Megill are set to compete for it in Spring Training. While all three of those guys would be decent enough sixth starters, does a team vying for a World Series win really want to rely on any of those pitchers every sixth day when a guy like Scherzer can be had for one year?

The history might not be great, but Scherzer in the back end of this rotation undoubtedly makes the team better. Plus, the Mets do have enough depth to survive assuming the oft-injured Scherzer has more injury woes.

2. Max Scherzer would be a nice fit in a veteran-led Blue Jays rotation

The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to Scherzer more than just about any other team this offseason, and it isn't hard to see why. They're attempting to compete in 2025, and their rotation could still use another arm.

Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt, and Bowden Francis form a nice start to any rotation, but that No. 5 spot leaves a lot to be desired. Alek Manoah will miss most of the season, the Jays lack much depth in the upper minors, and Yariel Rodriguez - the team's projected No. 5 starter as of now - might be better suited for the bullpen.

Scherzer has always pitched well at Rogers Centre (1.86 ERA in six starts), and would not require more than one year. Worst case, the Jays can move on during or after the season if it doesn't work out. This team needs as much upside as it can get, and with most of the appealing arms off the board, Scherzer makes a lot of sense.

1. The Braves are still one starting pitcher short

After an offseason full of inactivity, the Atlanta Braves finally made a major move on Thursday, inking Jurickson Profar to a three-year deal to address their gaping hole in the outfield. While that was an outstanding addition for Atlanta, the Braves still have one major roster hole to address, and that's in their rotation.

On paper, this rotation should be among the league's best in 2025 even without Max Fried and Charlie Morton, who departed in free agency. Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and Spencer Schwellenbach is a really fun and exciting trio to get behind, and Spencer Strider's looming return adds another frontline arm. There are a couple of issues, though.

First of all, nobody knows when Strider is going to return. The hope is that he'll be back in the first half of the season, but returning from major pitching injuries is always tricky. Secondly, the back end of their rotation leaves a lot to be desired.

With Strider out to begin the regular season, the Braves would be relying on two of guys like Grant Holmes, Ian Anderson, AJ Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep, and Bryce Elder. Relying on one of them, especially at the start of the season, would be fine, but the Braves shouldn't want 40 percent of their early-season starts going to completely unproven arms.

Atlanta took a chance with Chris Sale, a former ace who was dealing with injuries, and immediately helped him win his first Cy Young award. I'm not here to say the same thing will happen, but again, there's upside here, especially as a No. 4 or No. 5 starter on a one-year deal.