SEATTLE — If anyone thought Max Scherzer was just “old Mad Max who’s out of date,” they were dead wrong. After the Blue Jays’ proud 8–2 win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, fans were treated to the most emotional interview of his career behind the scenes: “Don’t ever say I’m done. I’m going to prove that age doesn’t define my passion for baseball. I’m going to fight for this team until the very end, as long as you guys support me.”
The 41-year-old took on the role of hero of the game, throwing 5⅔ innings, allowing just three hits, two earned runs, and five strikeouts, in his first playoff win since 2019 – just in time for his 500th career plate appearance. It was a classic performance, pulling the team back from the brink of a 2-0 deficit after two games and tying the series.
“Honestly, every time I pitch like this, I feel like I’m just starting out,” Scherzer said after the game, his eyes still burning with determination. “Age is just a number, but the love of baseball never goes away. I’m living for the team and the fans, for the feeling of pitching in the decisive moment. I’m going to prove to the world that Mad Max is still there, and it’s still going strong and it’s never stopped.”
This latest success has not only breathed new life into Toronto’s roster – it’s also made Scherzer a living symbol of the concept of “still being great despite the times.” He said after a game in September: “When I pitch, I always have the mindset of winning – I don’t accept giving up, I don’t accept weakness.” And today, it was no longer just empty words.
More notably, around the 5th minute of the game, as the medical team prepared to replace him, Scherzer strongly told coach John Schneider: “I still want to play. Give me one more beat.” And just a few minutes later, he hit the game-winning fastball to Randy Arozarena – a strikeout that silenced the entire Seattle home stadium.
It didn’t stop there, after the game, behind-the-scenes photos were abuzz with the locker room line: “Don’t say I’m old. It’s just that I ‘really lived one philosophy at a time.’” – a line that made the entire locker room laugh and admire.
With this “crazy” performance, Scherzer not only brought the Tokyo players back to their senses, but also turned himself into a symbol not only of revival — but also of eternal desire. “Mad Max never died — just matured in a different way,” one fan called out on Reddit after the game. And when Game 5 of the ALCS takes place tomorrow in Seattle, the world will hear the story of “Mad Max returns to destroy” again…
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