Scherzer throws 114 pitches in potential final start of career

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer may have walked off the mound Sunday for the last time during his 19-year career.

If it is the end, he left everything out there.

Scherzer allowed one run on six hits with one walk and seven strikeouts on 114 pitches while pitching into the eighth inning during a 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. The 42-year-old received a standing ovation at the Rogers Centre before jumping into the stands to hug his family.

"The adrenaline started to kick in, the fans started getting in," Scherzer said postgame, according to MLB.com. "That's when I could start feeding off the crowd here in the Rogers Centre. Really could just reach back. ... Felt like I was unlimited."

He added: "An amazing day all around. Hugging teammates, for me to be able to see my kids, my wife's crying. ... Just a cool moment moment to be able to see them."

Blue Jays manager John Schneider was asked what he told Scherzer during the final mound visit of his career.

"I just said, 'Thank you for letting me be part of your unbelievable career. I wouldn't want any other 42-year-old psychopath on my team than you,'" the skipper recalled, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.

The three-time Cy Young winner and future Hall of Famer praised Blue Jays fans and called Toronto a "hidden gem."

During the game, Scherzer turned into Mad Max once more by refusing to exit in the seventh after Schneider came to the mound.

"We didn't have this game scripted," Scherzer said, per MLB.com. "He basically said you have as long of a leash as you want. I didn't know exactly how this was going to shake out. We knew we wanted to come out in the middle of an inning. He came out and the whole place was booing him (Schneider). ... You kind of hear that and it makes you want to go."

The eight-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion sits ninth on the all-time strikeout leaderboard at 3,557, three behind Justin Verlander, who ended his own stellar career Saturday.

Scherzer said Saturday that he'll wait until the offseason to decide on his future.

Scherzer has 224 wins with a 3.29 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over 3,047 2/3 innings (492 starts). He's suited up for the Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Arizona Diamondbacks.