Max Scherzer struck out seven over seven-plus innings to earn his 225th career win, while Brandon Valenzuela and Charles McAdoo homered and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-1 in Sunday’s season finale.
A two-time World Series champion and three-time Cy Young Award winner, Scherzer (4-9) boosted his career strikeout total to 3,557 — the ninth-highest mark in big league history, trailing former teammate Justin Verlander by three, who made the final start of his decorated career Saturday.
One year after going 94-68 to win the AL East, the Blue Jays finished 79-83. The Reds won the final NL wild-card spot in 2025 with an 83-79 record, but they went 75-87 in 2026.
Scherzer allowed one run, six hits and a walk, throwing a season-high 114 pitches with 77 strikes. The 42-year-old started on short rest after throwing 93 pitches in five innings at Baltimore last Wednesday. The sellout crowd of 42,131 rose for a standing ovation when Scherzer took the mound alone before the game, and he stepped off to salute the crowd with a wave.
George Springer led off for Toronto in the final game before the end of his six-year, $150 million contract. Fans rose for a tribute before his at-bat, and an emotional Springer exhaled as he stepped out and tipped his helmet. After hitting a leadoff double in the third inning, Springer was replaced by pinch runner Sean Keys and received another ovation as he exited. He stopped outside the dugout to embrace teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who did not play in the finale.
Davis Schneider walked to begin the second inning, and Valenzuela followed with his ninth home run and first since July 17. Valenzuela connected off left-hander Brandon Williamson (5-5), who allowed four runs and four hits in three innings. Reds center fielder Carlos Jorge lost his glove over the wall trying to make a play on Valenzuela’s 409-foot shot, and the game paused briefly while the glove was brought to a gate and returned to Jorge. McAdoo homered off Carson Spiers in the eighth, his third.
Toronto drew 3,338,878 fans in 2026, up from 2,848,935 last season.
