"Always admired the way Max Scherzer competes" - Shane Bieber opens up about becoming teammates with $15.5M legendary ace

Having endured an injury-ravaged 2024 season, many thought that legendary pitcher Max Scherzer was past his best. However, the Blue Jays decided to take a punt on the future Hall of Famer, signing him to a one-year, $15.5 million contract this past offseason.

Boasting a 5-2 record, along with a 4.11 ERA and 62 strikeouts for the season so far, it is safe to say Scherzer has repaid the faith Toronto showed in him with his performances on the field.

Featuring on Wednesday's episode of "6ix Inning Stretch", fellow Blue Jays starting pitcher Shane Bieber, who only arrived in Toronto mid-season via a trade, spoke about how he was settling in with his new teammates. Talking about how he had enjoyed learning so much from other members of the Blue Jays' pitching staff, Bieber also mentioned how he has always been a fan of Max Scherzer's relentless drive to compete.

"I'm trying to pick his (Max Scherzer's) brain every chance I get," Bieber said [39:05]. "Not just about baseball, but [also] about life. He's a pleasure to conversate with. That goes for really everyone on this [pitching] staff."

"I've enjoyed getting to know everybody. That's important, you know, the minute you get traded over, to develop a rapport. Ultimately, we're going out there to win a World Series, and we gotta be a cohesive unit. Max in particular, I've always admired the way he competes."

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Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber will be key for the Blue Jays' hopes of winning a World Series

In 2024, the Toronto Blue Jays endured a tough campaign, finishing at the bottom of the AL East and missing out on the playoffs. However, they have shown exceptional improvement this year, and currently lead their division by 3.5 games as we head into the final stretch of the regular season. If things stay as they are, the Blue Jays will win the AL East for the first time since 2015.

With another trip to the playoffs beckoning and considering the exciting brand of baseball the Blue Jays have played all season long, Toronto is naturally seen as a major contender to potentially win the pennant and challenge for the biggest prize in baseball come October.

For this dream to become a reality, they will need the likes of Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber to be at their very best. The only two players on the Blue Jays' pitching staff who have won a Cy Young award in the past, fans will be hoping both aces can show their quality when the pressure is highest.