NEW YORK — Two future Hall of Fame pitchers remain available on the free agent market. Both have combined for 487 career victories. Both own six Cy Young Awards between them. And both could offer the Yankees a unique opportunity.
Max Scherzer is 41 years old. Justin Verlander turns 43 later this month. The former Detroit Tigers teammates have already cemented themselves as two of the best pitchers this century. The question now: Can they still help a contender like the Yankees?
History says yes. The Yankees have done this before.
Yankees’ Rocket blueprint from 2007
On May 6, 2007, Roger Clemens appeared in George Steinbrenner’s luxury box at Yankee Stadium during the seventh-inning stretch. The 44-year-old made a dramatic announcement to the Yankees crowd. He was coming back to pinstripes.
Clemens signed a prorated Yankees deal worth approximately $18 million. He made his Yankees season debut five weeks later. The Rocket went on to post a 6-6 record with a 4.18 ERA in 17 starts. The Yankees finished 8-9 in games he started.
The Yankees numbers were not vintage Clemens. But that was not entirely the point. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner provided stability to a rotation that desperately needed it. He delivered key victories down the stretch.
One year earlier, Clemens had done something similar with Houston. He signed on May 31, 2006, and finished with a 7-6 record, 2.30 ERA and 1.04 WHIP at age 43. His win total did not match his performance, but he ate innings when the Astros needed them most.
MLB executives believe both pitchers can contribute
Scherzer and Verlander remain unsigned as Spring Training approaches. Multiple MLB decision-makers believe they can still help a contending team.
“I think they both have something left in the tank,” an American League executive told MLB.com. “At a minimum, their experience is so vast that they have insights to help rotations and staffs in a variety of ways beyond just their performance, which is diminished from the extraordinary bar that they both set previously.”
Another AL executive echoed that sentiment while acknowledging the risk.
“Neither guy is what they used to be, but both could still help a team along the way,” the executive said. “The Scherzer we saw in the playoffs was a well-rested pitcher that looked far better than he did at the end of the regular season. The problem is, you can’t give him three or four weeks off in between starts.”
Verlander turned back the clock in second half
Verlander spent the 2025 MLB season with the San Francisco Giants. His first 16 starts were forgettable. A 4.99 ERA. A 4.29 FIP. An 18.9% strikeout rate.
Then something clicked. Over his final 13 starts, Verlander posted a 2.60 ERA and 3.36 FIP. His strikeout rate jumped to 22.8%. Only six starters in all of baseball had a lower ERA during that nine-week stretch.
For the full season, Verlander finished with a 3.85 ERA in 29 starts and 152 innings. He struck out 137 batters against 52 walks. That production would slot nicely into any contender’s rotation.
Verlander owns 266 career victories, the most among active MLB pitchers. He has expressed hope of reaching 300 wins before retiring. Only 24 pitchers in baseball history have accomplished that milestone. The track record is sure to tempt the Yankees.
Scherzer showed postseason magic still exists
Scherzer’s 2025 regular season was largely forgettable. A thumb injury limited him to 17 starts with the Toronto Blue Jays. He posted a 5.19 ERA and 4.99 FIP in 85 innings.
Then October arrived. The Blue Jays left him off the ALDS roster. But when Toronto advanced and needed a fourth starter for the ALCS, Mad Max answered the call.
Scherzer allowed just six runs across three postseason starts. He pitched into the fifth inning of World Series Game 7, keeping the Blue Jays in position to win the title before they eventually fell to the Dodgers. He threw his fastest pitch in two years during that stretch. His average fastball velocity jumped a full tick from the regular season.
“The version of Scherzer we saw in the postseason can still get quality Major League batters out,” an NL executive told MLB.com.
A midseason signing could make sense
Scherzer recently told The Athletic that he is healthy and ready to sign immediately. But he is prepared to wait for the right opportunity with the right team.
That approach mirrors the Clemens model. Sign after the season begins. Reduce the innings load. Arrive fresh for the stretch run.
“I think that especially for Max, who has battled some injuries, waiting to get going could make sense for him and whatever team wants or needs him,” an AL executive said. “Signing towards the end of April, ramping up in May and being able to produce 70 innings or so would be an ideal path for him.”
Another NL executive agreed.
“Aiming for a mid-year return might not be the worst idea,” he said. “Out of respect for these two future Hall of Famers, I wouldn’t want to completely discount what they might be able to achieve in a shorter stretch in 2026. It’s just difficult to count on it for the majority of the season.”
Why the Yankees should consider both options
The Yankees enter 2026 with questions in their rotation. Gerrit Cole is returning from Tommy John surgery. Depth beyond the top starters remains uncertain.
Scherzer and Verlander could provide insurance for the Yankees. They bring playoff experience that few active pitchers can match. Scherzer owns two World Series rings. Verlander has two of his own.
| Player | Age (2026) | 2026 projected contract (years / total / AAV) | 2026 Steamer IP | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | ERA | FIP | xFIP | WAR |
| Max Scherzer | 41 | 1 yr / $12.5M / $12.5M | 133.0 | 8.66 | 2.58 | 1.55 | 4.42 | 4.43 | 4.39 | 1.4 |
| Justin Verlander | 43 | 1 yr / $15.0M / $15.0M | 143.0 | 7.61 | 2.80 | 1.38 | 4.44 | 4.50 | 4.68 | 1.6 |
Sources: (FanGraphs Baseball)
“I think that they can deliver value in three different forms,” an NL executive told MLB.com. “One, they can share their wisdom and set the standard of excellence drawing from their experiences winning World Series and Cy Youngs. Two, they still have the ability to help teams win in the regular season. Three, as Scherzer demonstrated last year, they can elevate their game and become factors in the postseason.”
The executive added a key point.
“One could argue that they are valuable if they do one of these three things; more than one, they are worth quite a bit.”
For the New York Yankees, Justin Verlander projects as the slightly cleaner strategic fit for 2026, primarily because durability is likely to outweigh pure swing-and-miss ability at this stage of his career. A veteran starter capable of handling a steadier innings load reduces bullpen strain and stabilizes the middle of a rotation, a priority for contenders built to sustain a long postseason push.
While Max Scherzer may still offer the sharper strikeout profile and higher per-inning dominance, his value becomes more conditional on workload management and health. Verlander’s projected combination of command, experience, and marginally safer home-run profile aligns better with the demands of Yankee Stadium and the organizational preference for predictable rotation pieces. The gap is not dramatic, but if the Yankees decision centers on minimizing volatility while preserving competitive upside, Verlander holds the narrow edge.
“I wouldn’t bet against either of them,” an AL executive said. “They’re both incredibly competitive guys who love the moment. I don’t know if they can endure a full season, but in a sprint, I’d take my chances.”
“Those guys are warriors,” another AL executive added. “Waiting until the stretch run when other rotations are depleted and you have a better understanding of who will be standing at the end might make a lot of sense for both of those guys.”
The Yankees know how this story can end. They watched Clemens contribute in 2007. They saw what a legendary arm can provide down the stretch.
Two more future Hall of Famers sit on the open market. The Yankees’ Spring Training opens next week. The phone lines remain open in the Bronx.
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