Blue Jays' Max Scherzer Deal Tightens Up AL East Rotation Power Rankings

Max Scherzer's reported return to the Toronto Blue Jays isn't just a fun story. It's another salvo in the all-winter battle to build the best roster in the American League East.

As first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Scherzer and the Blue Jays agreed to a one-year contract that includes a $3 million guarantee, plus up to $10 million more in performance incentives. But how much of a difference-maker can the three-time Cy Young Award winner still be?

The task here will be to grade the five rotations of this division after the Scherzer transaction, and just to get ahead of it now... it was difficult.

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5. Tampa Bay Rays

Earlier this decade, you might have routinely seen the Rays in one of the top two spots on a list like this one. There are too many question marks to have them higher than fifth, but there's still a lot of potential here.

After trading Shane Baz within the division (classic Rays move), a lot of pressure is on Drew Rasmussen and Shane McClanahan to stay healthy, plus Ryan Pepiot taking a step forward now that he's no longer pitching in a bandbox.

4. Baltimore Orioles

Last year, the Orioles would have been fifth on a list like this one, so take this as a sign of progress. Taking in Baz and Chris Bassitt from a pair of division rivals adds a fun wrinkle on top of a group that had a little more high-end potential by the end of the year than we probably gave them credit for.

Still, the Orioles are counting on a major bounce-back season from Kyle Bradish, plus Trevor Rogers staying on course after his unexpected breakout campaign.

3. Toronto Blue Jays

We can already hear the sound of angry Blue Jays fans, and we'll have to live with it for now. Certainly, the potential is there for this group to be among the best in the sport, but there are a lot of what-ifs here.

What if Dylan Cease's ERA is in the high fours again? What if Trey Yesavage takes his rookie lumps or needs some time off to manage his workload? And what if Scherzer, José Berríos, and Cody Ponce all fail to do significantly more in the regular season than they did a year ago, all for different reasons?

2. New York Yankees

It's possible the Yankees earned the nod over the Blue Jays in part because of how filthy Ryan Weathers looked in spring training on Wednesday night. But we also gave a nod to the reinforcements that are coming in the Bronx.

Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón should both be back in the first half of the season, and then you've got top prospects Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodríguez knocking on the door to the majors. It's easy to see a filthy rotation core forming if Max Fried and Cam Schlittler stay healthy.

1. Boston Red Sox

Sep 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) throws a pitch during the fourth inning against the New York Yankees during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Red Sox may not be the favorites in this division, but they've got the best rotation. Adding Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray, and Johan Oviedo completely transformed the look of this group, which also has impressive reinforcements of its own.

At some point this season, either Connelly Early, Payton Tolle, or both will rise to prominence in the majors. Without knowing which current starter will fall out due to injury or poor performance, that feels like the time when we'll know how good this Boston group can truly be.