The Dodgers rarely wait for the market to come to them, especially when there is a clear buy-low opportunity on a front-line caliber arm. Jose Berrios fits that description perfectly after a rocky finish to 2025.
Toronto’s addition of an established starter like Ponce, rather than a cheaper depth option, reads like a flashing neon sign that they are preparing for real change in the rotation. A clean break with Berrios is suddenly in play, and the Dodgers are exactly the type of organization that pounces on this sort of distressed asset.
Why Jose Berrios Makes Sense for Los Angeles
The Dodgers’ model is built around stacking durable, above-average starters who can absorb innings and elevate in October. Even in a down stretch, Berrios still brings the traits that front offices value: a deep pitch mix, strike-throwing ability, and enough stuff to miss bats when he is right. His track record of durability and consistency makes him a strong candidate to rebound in a more stable environment.
Los Angeles has also shown an ability to get the most out of pitchers with clear underlying talent who simply need a reset. Berrios’ late-season struggles and injury issues will depress his value just enough to make him affordable without stripping the Dodgers’ system. That is exactly the lane this front office prefers, rather than paying full sticker price on a pitcher at peak value.
From a roster-construction standpoint, Berrios slots in as a mid-rotation stabilizer with upside, insulating the Dodgers from injuries and volatility. He also shortens a postseason series by giving them another legitimate option beyond the very top of their staff. For an organization that expects to be playing in October every year, that kind of depth is non-negotiable.
On the flip side, this is the moment for Toronto to reallocate resources and re-set its rotation identity. Moving Berrios now, after adding Ponce, allows the Blue Jays to redistribute payroll, clear a rotation logjam, and bring in controllable talent that better lines up with their next competitive window. A motivated seller meeting a calculated buyer is how fair trades get built.
The Perfect, Fair Trade Framework
Berrios still has value as a proven starter, but recent events, his health questions, and the Jays’ apparent openness to a split all tamp down the expected return. That pushes this into “strong but reasonable package” territory rather than a full prospect haul.
The Dodgers have the depth to create that kind of offer without gutting their core or moving their absolute top asset. They can pair one young big leaguer or near-ready piece with a secondary prospect and an upside lottery ticket. That gives Toronto both immediate help and future value, while Los Angeles secures a win-now rotation upgrade.
Here is a realistic, balanced trade package the Dodgers could present as their perfect offer for Jose Berrios:
Dodgers receive:
- RHP Jose Berrios
Blue Jays receive:
- RHP Gavin Stone
- LHP Jackson Ferris
This structure threads the needle between aggression and responsibility. Stone gives Toronto a rotation-ready arm with club control to help replace innings in the short term when healthy. While Ferris gives the Blue Jays a longer-term pitching development project to rebuild some upside in the pipeline. For the Dodgers, consolidating those pieces into a battle-tested starter who can immediately slot into their playoff rotation fits their competitive timeline perfectly.
Neither side is emptying the cupboard, and neither side is walking away feeling fleeced. For Toronto, it is a strategic reset around a pitcher they are already open to moving. For Los Angeles, it is a classic Dodgers move: identify a distressed but talented asset, trust their pitching infrastructure, and pay a strong-but-fair price to chase another deep October run.
