Blue Jays in Deep Trouble on Contract for Right-Hander with Another Injury

The Toronto Blue Jays may have one of the worst contracts in baseball on their hands.

Toronto Blue Jays hat and glove | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays have had some absolutely brutal luck when it comes to injuries this season, and it's a huge part of the reason why they are sitting where they are in the standings.

Both the lineup and the pitching staff have been ravaged by various ailments, and while guys are starting to work their way back, it will be an uphill climb in the standings coming off a sweep against the Tampa Bay Rays.

One guy who has not taken the field so far this year following a dramatic roller coaster late last year is veteran right-hander José Berríos, and things look to be on the cusp of getting even worse for him after an MRI on his elbow this week.

With Toronto bracing for bad news on Berríos, the potential ripple effect if he were to need surgery is massive and it does not impact just this year, leaving the team with potentially one of the worst contracts in baseball.

Blue Jays Could Be Stuck with Horrible Berríos Contract Next Year

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berríos | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

For Toronto, Berríos signed a seven-year, $131 million back in 2022, and while he has produced nicely throughout a portion of that deal, the back end of it is looking like a complete disaster. This coming offseason, the right-hander is facing an opt out decision where opting in nets him an additonal $48 million over the next two seasons.

Should Berríos need Tommy John in a worst case scenario, the Blue Jays would essentially be paying him nothing for most of the rest of the contract and have close to $50 million tied up there anyway.

As Toronto tries to figure out its finances, they may have to come to terms with the fact that they will be paying Berríos to rehab for most of the remainder of his contract.

How Blue Jays Can Survive Without Berríos This Season

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

While things were looking pretty bleak for a period in Toronto, reinforcements like Trey Yesavage are starting to arrive with the team also helpful Shane Bieber will be back sooner rather than later.

As Max Scherzer looks like a mystery and Cody Ponce out for the year, a Blue Jays rotation which once had a best in baseball type ceiling may have to simply manage its way through the year, but it won't matter anyway if the bats don't get it going.

With a Berríos update set to arrive in the coming day or two, Toronto fans will be ready and eager to hear whether or not the former ace will be back this year, or if they are stuck with one of the worst contracts in baseball.