4 pitchers KC Royals should target if they lose Michael Wacha

Max Scherzer still has a lot to offer the KC Royals

At 40 years old and coming off an injury-filled season, it could be easy to write off Max Scherzer as being at the end of his career. This year with the Texas Rangers, the eight-time All-Star only managed 9 starts — but Scherzer isn't done yet, and he could be exactly what the Royals need.

He may have had limited time on the mound this season, but Scherzer proved he's still fierce. In 43.1 innings of work this season, the three-time Cy Young Award winner went 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts. In his season debut on June 23, Scherzer threw five scoreless innings against the Royals and struck out four, giving him a career strikeout total of 3,371 to tying him with Greg Maddux for eleventh place on MLB's all-time list.

Making him more attainable for Kansas City, Scherzer isn't going to cost nearly as much years past. He signed a three-year, $130 million contract with the New York Mets before the 2022 season and after being traded to the Rangers, he exercised his $43 million player option for 2024, but Rymer predicted Scherzer's new contract out of free agency would sit around 1-year, $21 million. Sportrac projects even lower, expecting Scherzer to land a 1-year, $15.2 million deal.