Following a 96-win campaign in 2025, the Philadelphia Phillies have made a major move to reshape their pitching staff, officially signing an eight-time All-Star right-hander to bolster their rotation ahead of the upcoming season.
Philadelphia entered the offseason facing significant uncertainty on the mound. Left-hander Ranger Suárez departed in free agency, and ace Zack Wheeler is expected to miss the start of the season while recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. With multiple question marks in the rotation, the Phillies moved quickly to secure a proven veteran arm.
The veteran pitcher, Max Scherzer, 42, brings a decorated résumé to Philadelphia, including three Cy Young Awards, more than 220 career wins, two World Series championships, and nearly 3,500 strikeouts. A future Hall of Famer, he joins the Phillies as he pursues another title in what could be the final chapter of his storied career.
While injuries have limited him over the past two seasons, he showed flashes of effectiveness in 2024 with the Texas Rangers and remained competitive in 2025 with the Toronto Blue Jays. Despite uneven regular-season results last year, he delivered key postseason performances, including a strong Game 7 start in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Phillies believe the veteran’s experience, competitiveness, and postseason pedigree will help stabilize the rotation while younger arms continue to develop. Top prospect Andrew Painter remains a long-term option, and recently signed Brad Keller provides additional depth, but the newly signed All-Star is expected to play a key role early in the season.