After a win against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 28, 2013, Scherzer became the first Tigers pitcher to ever start a season 12–0, surpassing the 11–0 start from George Mullin in 1909.
 With a win against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 3, Scherzer also became the first major league starter to begin a season 13–0 since Roger Clemens in 1986.
The streak ended with a loss to the Texas Rangers on July 13.

On July 1, Scherzer was selected by player vote to represent the American League in the 2013 All-Star Game, his first major league All-Star selection.
 On July 15, Jim Leyland, who managed the AL All-Star team this season and was also the Tigers manager, announced that he had chosen Scherzer as the AL's starting pitcher.
 Entering the All-Star break, Scherzer had a 13–1 record, 3.19 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 152 strikeouts in ​129 ²⁄₃ innings pitched.
 He pitched a perfect 1-2-3 inning in the game, including striking out Joey Votto for one of three outs.

On August 8, Scherzer recorded his 1,000th career strikeout when he fanned Jason Kipnis of the Cleveland Indians.
With a win over the New York Mets on August 24, Scherzer became the third pitcher in major league history to start a season 19–1, following Clemens in 2001 and Rube Marquard in 1912.

On September 20, after a 12–5 win over the Chicago White Sox, Scherzer became the first major league pitcher to reach 20 wins.
Scherzer became the second Tigers pitcher to reach 20 wins since Bill Gullickson in 1991, following Verlander in 2011, and the 45th in Tigers history.
He finished the regular season at 21–3, with a league-leading 0.97 WHIP, 2.90 ERA, and a career-high 240 strikeouts.
He was the only 20-game winner in the majors in 2013.
Scherzer's stellar season earned him the 2013 AL Cy Young Award, receiving 28 of 30 first-place votes.
 He also was the winner of the Players Choice Award for AL Outstanding Pitcher, and the Baseball Digest Pitcher of the Year—bestowed annually to one pitcher in the major leagues.

Scherzer cultivated a dominant performance in Game 1 of the 2013 ALDS versus the Oakland Athletics, recording 11 strikeouts and giving up just one hit through the first six innings, before surrendering a two-run homer to Yoenis Céspedes.
 He finished with seven innings pitched, giving up three hits, as he and the Tigers won the game, 3–2.
He struck out each of Josh Donaldson, Brandon Moss, and Josh Reddick twice.
Scherzer was in line to make a Game 5 start in the same series, but facing elimination in Game 4, manager Jim Leyland chose to bring him in as a reliever in the seventh inning.
 Scherzer gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the inning, but the Tigers regained the lead in the bottom of the frame.
 Scherzer then loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth, but wriggled out of trouble by striking out Josh Reddick and Stephen Vogt, then getting Alberto Callaspo to line out to center field.
The Tigers won the game, and Scherzer earned the victory to go to 2–0 in the series.

Scherzer continued his brilliance into the 2013 ALCS against the eventual World Series champion Boston Red Sox.
 In Game 2, he no-hit Boston for ​5 ²⁄₃ innings before surrendering two hits and a run in the bottom of the sixth.
 He left the game with a 5–1 lead after seven innings, striking out 13.
 However, a quartet of Tiger relievers blew the lead in the eighth inning, and Boston won it, 6–5, on a walk-off single in the ninth.
 Scherzer was the losing pitcher in the Tigers' 5–2 loss in Game 6, the deciding and final game of that series.
After a win against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 28, 2013, Scherzer became the first Tigers pitcher to ever start a season 12–0, surpassing the 11–0 start from George Mullin in 1909.  With a win against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 3, Scherzer also became the first major league starter to begin a season 13–0 since Roger Clemens in 1986. The streak ended with a loss to the Texas Rangers on July 13.
On July 1, Scherzer was selected by player vote to represent the American League in the 2013 All-Star Game, his first major league All-Star selection.  On July 15, Jim Leyland, who managed the AL All-Star team this season and was also the Tigers manager, announced that he had chosen Scherzer as the AL's starting pitcher.  Entering the All-Star break, Scherzer had a 13–1 record, 3.19 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 152 strikeouts in ​129 ²⁄₃ innings pitched.  He pitched a perfect 1-2-3 inning in the game, including striking out Joey Votto for one of three outs.
On August 8, Scherzer recorded his 1,000th career strikeout when he fanned Jason Kipnis of the Cleveland Indians. With a win over the New York Mets on August 24, Scherzer became the third pitcher in major league history to start a season 19–1, following Clemens in 2001 and Rube Marquard in 1912.
On September 20, after a 12–5 win over the Chicago White Sox, Scherzer became the first major league pitcher to reach 20 wins. Scherzer became the second Tigers pitcher to reach 20 wins since Bill Gullickson in 1991, following Verlander in 2011, and the 45th in Tigers history. He finished the regular season at 21–3, with a league-leading 0.97 WHIP, 2.90 ERA, and a career-high 240 strikeouts. He was the only 20-game winner in the majors in 2013. Scherzer's stellar season earned him the 2013 AL Cy Young Award, receiving 28 of 30 first-place votes.  He also was the winner of the Players Choice Award for AL Outstanding Pitcher, and the Baseball Digest Pitcher of the Year—bestowed annually to one pitcher in the major leagues.
Scherzer cultivated a dominant performance in Game 1 of the 2013 ALDS versus the Oakland Athletics, recording 11 strikeouts and giving up just one hit through the first six innings, before surrendering a two-run homer to Yoenis Céspedes.  He finished with seven innings pitched, giving up three hits, as he and the Tigers won the game, 3–2. He struck out each of Josh Donaldson, Brandon Moss, and Josh Reddick twice. Scherzer was in line to make a Game 5 start in the same series, but facing elimination in Game 4, manager Jim Leyland chose to bring him in as a reliever in the seventh inning.  Scherzer gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the inning, but the Tigers regained the lead in the bottom of the frame.  Scherzer then loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth, but wriggled out of trouble by striking out Josh Reddick and Stephen Vogt, then getting Alberto Callaspo to line out to center field. The Tigers won the game, and Scherzer earned the victory to go to 2–0 in the series.
Scherzer continued his brilliance into the 2013 ALCS against the eventual World Series champion Boston Red Sox.  In Game 2, he no-hit Boston for ​5 ²⁄₃ innings before surrendering two hits and a run in the bottom of the sixth.  He left the game with a 5–1 lead after seven innings, striking out 13.  However, a quartet of Tiger relievers blew the lead in the eighth inning, and Boston won it, 6–5, on a walk-off single in the ninth.  Scherzer was the losing pitcher in the Tigers' 5–2 loss in Game 6, the deciding and final game of that series.
Max Scherzer