Blue Jays get $48 million contract prediction on 4.08 ERA All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Blue Jays’ starting rotation was hit hard by injuries during spring training and in April.
For now, the AL East club is relying on veteran arms like Max Scherzer, Kevin Gausman, and Dylan Cease to weather the storm until Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, and Jose Berrios return from the injured list.
Berrios, 31, is in the fifth season of a seven-year, $131 million extension that he signed with the Blue Jays in 2021. The two-time All-Star began the season on the 15-day injured list due to elbow inflammation.
His contract includes an opt-out after 2026, which Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors does not think he will use, given his declining performance in recent seasons. The Blue Jays owe Berrios $24 million for each of the next two campaigns.
“Even that has been undercut by some injury concerns in recent months. He finished 2025 on the injured list due to elbow inflammation and has started this year on the IL as well, again due to elbow inflammation,” McDonald wrote Friday. “The issue doesn’t appear to be major, and he could be back with the Jays in the near future. He would have to come back healthy and pitch really well in the next few months for this opt-out to even be a consideration.”
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At his best, Berrios was a frontline starter for parts of six seasons with the Minnesota Twins. He made back-to-back All-Star appearances from 2018-19, making 32 starts in both years while averaging 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings during that span.
Berrios has a propensity to limit home runs and posted a 4.17 ERA in 31 starts. Given the current state of Toronto’s rotation, his return should be a welcome sight despite struggles in recent seasons.
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