Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios was expected to be one of the key pieces in manager John Schneider's rotation during the 2026 season. However, a stress fracture in his elbow sidelined him for the beginning of the year.
Berrios has been doing rehab starts in the minor leagues as of late, but he has struggled in those outings. In four starts between Single-A and Triple-A, the 31-year-old right-hander has tossed 14 1/3 innings, pitching to a 10.67 ERA with 11 strikeouts and seven walks.
His latest appearance came on Sunday, as Berrios lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up seven earned runs on six hits and four walks with only one strikeout.
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On Monday, before the Blue Jays begin a road series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Schneider provided an update on where things stand in Berrios' rehab, as he said the righty is joining the team in Tampa.
"José Berríos is joining the #BlueJays today in Tampa, and they’ll talk with him about next steps. Schneider: 'Just want to sit down with him, Pete and the trainers, and kind of see exactly where he's at and what he's comfortable with going forward,'" said The Athletic reporter Mitch Bannon.
Berrios made 31 appearances for Schneider and Toronto last season, pitching to a 4.17 ERA with a record of 9-5 in 166 innings. He fanned 138 batters while walking 56 in the regular season. He did not pitch during the Blue Jays' run to an American League pennant due to an elbow injury and his performance in the latter months of the season.
While the timetable is still unclear for when Berrios will be back in the majors, Toronto's pitching staff, which ranks in the bottom half of MLB in ERA, could use a steady arm in its rotation.
