3 José Berríos Replacements for Blue Jays After Surgery News

The Toronto Blue Jays certainly could use another hurler right now.

Feb 28, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios (17) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the second inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays won't have one of their All-Star hurlers back for a bit, at least.

Two-time All-Star José Berríos hasn't appeared in a big league game yet this season. He has been working his way back, but won't be back for a while. On Saturday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reported that Berríos will be "sidelined for at least a couple of months" and maybe even more than a year as he's set to undergo surgery to help fix a stress fracture in his elbow and also remove loose bodies.

"José Berríos will be sidelined for at least a couple of months and potentially for more than a year after making the decision to undergo elbow surgery," Nicholson-Smith wrote. "Not only does Berríos have a stress fracture in his elbow, he has some loose bodies in the area, and there may be 'some ligament stuff going on,' according to Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider. Dr. Keith Meister will operate on Berríos Wednesday, at which point the nature of the operation will be determined. ...

"Best-case scenario, Berríos could miss just a couple of months and return later this season."

There was a point earlier in the season in which it seemed like Berríos was close to a return. Now, of course, that has changed. The Blue Jays are without the services of Berríos, Max Scherzer, Cody Ponce and Shane Bieber.

If the club looks to replace him, how could they at this point? Here are a few options to consider in free agency and the trade market.

Nestor Cortes — Free Agent

Aug 29, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Cortes is available in free agency right now and arguably is the best one available. He's 31 years old with a 3.94 career ERA. Back in 2024, Cortes had a 3.77 ERA in 31 total outings. If the Blue Jays are looking for a quick fix, Cortes would be the easiest.

Luis Castillo — Trade

May 3, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) throws against the Kansas City Royals during the third inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Mariners have six healthy starters right now. Castillo has had a tough season so far with a 6.34 ERA in nine starts. He has a 3.64 career ERA, though, and had a 3.54 ERA last season in 32 starts. If the Mariners are willing to make a move, the Blue Jays should call.

Sandy Alcántara — Trade

May 10, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) throws in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

This is much more of a pipe dream. If Alcántara is going to get traded, it would likely be closer to August. But the Blue Jays need a hurler now and Alcántara is a superstar. The Blue Jays should give the Miami Marlins a call.