Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios has avoided the worst-case scenario after his first-ever trip to the major league injured list.
Manager John Schneider confirmed on Friday that an MRI revealed no structural damage to Berrios’ right elbow, though the 31-year-old will seek a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister, a leading specialist in elbow injuries, to confirm the findings, via Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
The Blue Jays placed Berrios on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation on Thursday, just one day after his first bullpen appearance since 2017. That outing ended a streak of 286 consecutive starts, the hallmark of a decade-long career built on durability. Before this, Berrios had never been on the IL at the major league level, though he missed a brief time as a minor leaguer in 2013 and 2014.
This season has been a grind for the veteran. Over 30 starts and one relief appearance, Berrios logged 166 innings with a 4.17 ERA. He carried a 3.75 ERA into the All-Star break but has stumbled in the second half, posting a 5.15 ERA. Schneider noted a decline in velocity, down from the 93–95 mph range early in the year to 91–93 mph, which may have indicated the elbow issue.
The timing complicates Toronto’s playoff push. The Blue Jays enter the final series of the regular season tied with the New York Yankees atop the AL East. With both clubs facing sub-.500 opponents at home, Toronto must lean heavily on its remaining rotation pieces while fending off New York. The Jays hold the head-to-head tiebreaker but need a sweep against the Tampa Bay Rays to clinch the division outright.
The team's rotation picture has grown increasingly uncertain. Chris Bassitt is also on the IL with lower back inflammation, but the club is optimistic after a cortisone injection. Max Scherzer, meanwhile, has struggled mightily, recording a 9.00 ERA across his last six starts. Trade-deadline acquisition Shane Bieber has steadied the rotation with six starts since returning from Tommy John surgery, including 13 strikeouts and six earned runs over his past three outings. Top prospect Trey Yesavage, MLB’s No. 25 overall prospect, was electric in his debut with nine strikeouts over five innings but faltered in his second outing, allowing four earned runs in four innings.
Berrios’ absence leaves Toronto facing questions not just for October but for the future. Bassitt and Scherzer are pending free agents, while Bieber holds a $16 million player option, which he is likely to decline in favor of a $4 million buyout. Before the injury, the Jays were planning to build their 2025 rotation around Kevin Gausman, Berrios, Yesavage, and potentially Ethan Lauer, but those plans are now less certain.
Berrios remains under contract through at least 2026, with a potential opt-out before 2027 that would forfeit $48 million over two years. How he bounces back could decide not just the Blue Jays' pitching outlook, but also if that opt-out ever comes into play.
