41-year-old Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is in no rush to sign and may wait until after Opening Day to decide.

Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, has decided to keep pitching in 2026, yet the free-agent righty is prepared to wait for the perfect moment to prolong his remarkable career.

Scherzer stated to The Athletic today that despite being in good health and available to sign immediately, he favors waiting until after the season starts to evaluate if his desired teams have the right fit before committing.

This approach is not without precedent; Roger Clemens used a similar strategy in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, signing with the Houston Astros and New York Yankees respectively only in May. Pedro Martínez followed a comparable path in 2009, waiting until July to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The 41-year-old Scherzer has not specified which teams he prefers, but it is reasonable to assume he is targeting those offering the best chance to compete for a championship in 2026, which would mark his 19th season in the major leagues.

Last year, Scherzer played for the Blue Jays on a one-year, $15.5 million deal. After a challenging regular season and missing significant time due to injury for the second consecutive year, he posted a career-high 5.19 ERA.

However, he proved in the playoffs that he remains a dependable starting option: starting three games with a 3.77 ERA, and notably pitching 4.1 innings allowing just one run in Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers. With the Blue Jays narrowly losing to the Dodgers, Scherzer missed out on earning his third championship ring, which may be a key reason why he has decided to postpone retirement for at least another year.