DETROIT — Veteran right-hander Max Scherzer remains unsigned as spring training approaches, and according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, he is prepared to wait until after Opening Day to find his next team.

Scherzer told Rosenthal that he is healthy and ready to sign, but willing to be patient if it means joining a club with a legitimate chance to contend for a World Series.

That kind of nontraditional timeline could align, at least theoretically, with the Tigers’ situation.

Detroit is set to open the season with a rotation of Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Reese Olson, and Drew Anderson, with Troy Melton as a potential bullpen swing man or sixth starter in Toledo. Barring injury, the Tigers do not face an urgent need to supplement that group out of the gate.

But as last season illustrated, pitching depth has a way of becoming relevant over a long summer. If Detroit determines it needs reinforcement later in the season, adding a veteran starter in May or June could represent a lower-risk way to strengthen the rotation without committing a roster spot or salary in March.

The idea of a veteran waiting out the early part of the season is not unprecedented. Roger Clemens famously did so in his final year before joining the New York Yankees, and David Robertson signed with the Philadelphia Phillies during the second half of last season.

Rosenthal mentioned several playoff teams as potential fits for Scherzer, including the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and Phillies. The Tigers, who have made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, are part of that broader mix, in part because of Scherzer’s history in Detroit, where he won his first Cy Young Award.

Scherzer is not the only former Tiger and future Hall of Famer still on the market. Justin Verlander also remains unsigned. There has been no indication that Verlander is considering a post–Opening Day signing, but it’s not out of the question.

Verlander earned $15 million last season, while Scherzer made $15.5 million. Those figures may be difficult for the Tigers to justify after spending $15 million on Alex Cobb in 2025 and receiving no on-field return. With Verlander turning 43 in February and Scherzer turning 42 in July, it is also unclear whether either pitcher will be able to command similar salaries in 2026.

Scherzer pitched for the Tigers from 2010 to 2014, going 82-35 with a 3.52 ERA as part of a famously elite rotation. During his tenure, the Tigers made the playoffs four times, including an American League pennant in 2012.

Upon reaching free agency, Scherzer signed a seven-year, $210 million contract with the Washington Nationals after the 2014 season. The deal proved a bargain, as Washington reached the postseason three times and won the 2019 World Series during his tenure.

Scherzer signed a three-year, $130 million deal with the Mets before the 2022 season. He was dealt to the Rangers at the deadline in 2023 and picked up another World Series ring with Texas.

The 2024 season didn’t go as well for Scherzer or the Rangers. He made only nine starts while battling multiple injuries, but he still landed a one-year, $15.5 million deal with the Blue Jays last January.

Scherzer posted a 5.17 ERA (4.99 FIP) across 17 regular-season starts but also made three important postseason starts, including Game 3 and 7 of the World Series against the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers.