Jose Berrios was by no means a bad pitcher in 2025, but he certainly was not himself. The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander struggled in the second half of the season and was ultimately placed on the injured list in September due to elbow inflammation, putting him in a vulnerable spot heading into 2026. Fans are now learning that he battled even more adversity than they initially realized.
While preparing for the new campaign at the Blue Jays' spring training headquarters in Dunedin, Florida, Berrios revealed that he was already navigating injury concerns last winter. The two-time All-Star and 2023 Gold Glove Award winner pushed through a bicep tendon issue during the season, doing his best to overcome his hindrance. He did not find out what the problem was until September, per The Athletic's Mitch Bannon.
Berrios does not have any qualms now, however. He is feeling incredibly confident about his health. “I’m back,” the 31-year-old Puerto Rican said. “Thank god I’m healthy, I'm back.”
The Blue Jays possess a plethora of pitching options, but a few of them are wild cards. When on the mound, Berrios is typically one of the most reliable hurlers on the roster. He has made 127 starts across the last four seasons, displaying the kind of durability that is all too rare in the modern game. The veteran hurler was forced to miss the playoffs during Toronto's historic American League pennant run, so he will desperately want to avoid the IL in 2026.
Jose Berrios will try to keep his arm fresh in spring training and cement himself as an unquestioned presence in the rotation. Unfortunately, he is off to a rocky start.
The 2012 first-round draft pick allowed two runs on three hits with one walk in Monday's 4-3 loss versus the New York Mets. Berrios was 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 166.0 innings pitched last year. Can he overcome this ongoing slump and regain his dependable form? The wait continues.
