Max Scherzer on Blue Jays’ trade deadline: ‘If they sell, that’s on us’

TORONTO — Max Scherzer says the Toronto Blue Jays have no one to blame but themselves for the uncertainty of the next 24 hours.

Scherzer had his best start of the season on Sunday, striking out five over six innings of one-run ball as the Blue Jays fell 5-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals after closer Louis Varland was tagged for four runs, only one of them earned. It was expected that Toronto would be a seller ahead of Monday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline.

“We have not performed to our capabilities, and now the front office might have to make decisions about our roster because of that,” said Scherzer. “I understand that. I respect what the front office has to do. They’ve got to make decisions that are best for the organization.

“If they sell, that’s on us. That’s on us as players that we have not done our job of holding up our end of the bargain and going out there and winning ball games.”

The Blue Jays (52-60) had a three-game win streak snapped by the loss to St. Louis. They’re fifth in their division, 13 1/2 games back of the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays (65-46). Despite Sunday’s loss, Toronto is 4 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot with four teams — the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and Detroit Tigers — between them and the wild-card berth.

However, Detroit traded two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night, surely hurting the Tigers’ playoff chances.

The Blue Jays made a move during their game with the Cardinals, getting right-handed Canadian pitcher Jameson Taillon and cash considerations from the Chicago Cubs. Chicago will get a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Taillon’s arrival set the stage for another deal with the Cubs.

Toronto traded veteran starting pitcher Kevin Gausman to Chicago for a pair of prospects: outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene.

Hours before the Gausman trade was reported, Scherzer was still hopeful that Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins would stick with his roster.

“If they hold and we don’t sell, I mean, great,” said Scherzer. “We’re getting 40,000 fans a night. We want to go out there and play. We’re only a few games out of this wild card. Anything can happen.

“This is baseball, and we’re a good team. If I’m starting to get healthy here, you know, who knows what can happen? You just want that opportunity to go out there and compete to win.”

Shane Bieber (2-2) is scheduled to get the start as the Blue Jays begin a three-game set in Houston on Monday. Toronto manager John Schneider said immediately after the game that he was unaware of any further trades.

“As far as I know, everyone’s getting on the plane,” joked Schneider at his post-game news conference. “We’ll see in 24 hours what shakes out, if anything.

“Guys are playing. They’re doing their part. They’re out there, they’re competing. I know it’s hard for some of them, but I like the way we played this series.”

CHASING THE BIG TRAIN — Scherzer’s five strikeouts moved him to 3,512 over his storied career. Four more and he will surpass Hall of Famer Walter “Big Train” Johnson for 10th on the all-time strikeouts list.

“Pinch me and wake me up when you’re talking about passing some all-time greats,” said Scherzer. “My career has been (about) going out there and making my starts, posting and striking guys out, and pitching deep into ball games, trying to find a way to win.

“Getting to this point is a result of the process I’ve been on my whole career of working hard in-between the starts and going out there and competing in-between the lines.”

Johnson pitched all 21 seasons of his career for the American League’s Washington Nationals, who changed their name to the Senators in 1955 and then moved to Minneapolis and became the Minnesota Twins in 1961. He earned two most valuable player awards, three Triple Crowns and five ERA titles between 1907 and 1927, helping Washington win the 1924 World Series.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 2, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press