Max Scherzer was in vintage form in what could be his final major league start.
The future Hall of Famer allowed one run while striking out seven Cincinnati Reds batters and walking one as he pitched into the eighth inning on Sunday afternoon.
Scherzer was lifted from the game after walking the lead-off batter in the eighth. He had a big smile on his face as he embraced manager John Schneider on the mound, then waved to the crowd as he walked to the dugout. Scherzer embraced all of his teammates and coaches, and then went back out onto the field and jumped into the stands to share a special moment with his wife and kids.
Scherzer, 42, has said he will make a decision about his future later in the off-season. If this is the end, he would step away from the game as one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of baseball.
Scherzer has two World Series championships, three Cy Young awards and eight all-star appearances over his 19 MLB seasons. His 3,557 strikeouts are ninth all-time, three behind longtime teammate Justin Verlander, who retired after making his final start with the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
Speaking on Saturday, Scherzer said that regardless of what the future holds, he wanted to pitch in front of his kids one last time.
“It’s been kind of freeing, actually,” he said, smiling. “I just want to go out there and pitch tomorrow, knowing that, hey, you never know. It could be my last."
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