TORONTO, ON – March 26 Ross Atkins is the EVP of baseball operation and GM and is seen speaking to the media.The Toronto Blue Jays held their media day at the Rogers Centre in MLB baseball action ahead of their home opener on Friday.March 26 2026 Richard Lautens/Toronto Star (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Toronto Star via Getty Images
The Toronto Blue Jays got some more bad injury news in the latest setback to a season that has been full of them.
After reaching Game 7 of the World Series last year, then reloading their roster with win-now talent, the Blue Jays have seen key position players like Alejandro Kirk and George Springer, as well as starting pitchers like Shane Bieber, Max Scherzer and Cody Ponce, miss considerable time with a range of injuries.
The team has also been without two-time All-Star Jose Berrios, who has been dealing with elbow problems since last season and has now undergone Tommy John surgery as a result.
“After a period of healing, Berrios resumed building up last month and was on the cusp of a return in early May when his velocity dipped in consecutive rehab outings with Triple-A Buffalo,” Shi Davidi wrote for Sportsnet. “He also had more than the expected soreness.”
Toronto Blue Jays Mismanage Jose Berrios Injury
The team had announced that Berrios would be undergoing an unspecified surgery but it wasn’t until Wednesday that fans learned the extent of the procedure. Now Berrios is ruled out for all of this season as well as the 2027 campaign, following a health saga that might have been handled differently.
“This situation was clearly mishandled,” Gregor Chisholm wrote for the Toronto Star. “What’s unknown is whether the primary culprit was the pitcher, the team or the consulting physicians.”
Whether it was the Blue Jays’ decision makers, Berrios or the team’s doctors who opted to keep Berrios rehabilitating on the mound up to this point, that mistake is a big blow to the team. After signing a seven-year, $131 million extension with the Blue Jays, Berrios is all but certain to waive his upcoming opt-out opportunity and will be owed $24 million in both of the next two seasons. As of now, it seems he is unlikely to return until some time in the final year of his contract.
Toronto Blue Jays’ Jose Berrios Worsens Injury After Attempting Rehab On Mound
“But what’s certain is that, if Berrios hadn’t tried to pitch through the stress fracture or if he had undergone surgery during the off-season, 2027 would still be in play,” Chisholm added. “Because of the way it was handled, a timely return is off the table.”
Now, with Berrios ruled out and Kevin Gausman, Patrick Corbin, Bieber and Scherzer all facing free agency, the future of the Blue Jays’ rotation has become very uncertain. In the meantime, though, the team will need to figure out how to field healthy and effective arms for the rest of this season.