The Blue Jays Are Telling Us Plenty About Their Pitching Plans Without Saying It
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The first two games of the Toronto Blue Jays' Grapefruit League schedule in Spring Training highlighted how difficult it can be to gather any meaningful, accurate insight. After a 3-0 shutout of the Philadelphia Phillies offered encouraging signs regarding their pitching, an 11-10 loss to the Boston Red Sox one day later sent the completely opposite message.
Of course, it's foolhardy to overreact to either game of what is meaningless baseball. But that doesn't mean we haven't learned some tidbits regarding the Blue Jays' plans, specifically with regard to their new-look pitching staff, in the early days of the spring.
Jose Berrios is Planning to Remain in Toronto
At a time when Toronto was making their remarkable World Series run, one-time ace Jose Berrios was nowhere to be found. The righty was unlikely to be included on the club's playoff roster amidst an injury-marred, disappointing 2025 season, so he sulked away and returned home to Puerto Rico to continue his rehab. On a team defined by their collective chemistry, his selfishness stood out.
After an offseason rife with trade rumors, Berrios is back, hoping to make a potentially awkward reunion less so by showing accountability. He opened Spring Training by apologizing to his teammates for his poor judgment and now welcomes the chance to move forward as a Blue Jay.
A delayed start to the 2026 season for Shane Bieber may open the door for Berrios to open the year as part of the rotation and show that he can return to form with three years and $67 million remaining on his contract. Toronto could still look to trade the 31-year-old as other teams encounter pitching injuries and particularly if Cody Ponce excels, but there remains an opportunity here for the time being.
For Berrios, that opportunity starts with getting the ball on Monday for a spring training game against Bo Bichette's New York Mets.
Eric Lauer Might Be a Rotation Factor Once Again
Speaking of aspiring starters looking to turn the page this spring, Eric Lauer wasn't exactly thrilled to lose his arbitration case after a do-it-all season in which he went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA as both a key reliever and much-needed rotation stabilizer.
Now earning $4.4 million this season compared to the $5.75 million that he and his representation was seeking, Lauer could wind up filling a similarly versatile role for the club before entering free agency after the season.
Perhaps the decision to have Lauer start the opening game of the Blue Jays' Grapefruit League slate was a slight hat tip and/or make-good gesture by manager John Schneider and the coaching staff after the arbitration hearing. Either way, both sides are hoping to move forward in a season where, once again, Lauer could be called upon to offer something of a safety net.
There's No Place for Yariel Rodriguez in the Blue Jays' Bullpen
Heading into the spring, Yariel Rodriguez has found himself on the outside looking in when it comes to earning a spot with Toronto. He was outright off the 40-man roster to the minors back in December after no MLB team opted to claim him. Now, the 28-year-old is looking to use a strong Spring Training showing to win back a role in the club's bullpen.
He's not off to a strong start. Rodriguez took the loss on Sunday, getting rough up by Red Sox hitters to the tune of six earned runs on five hits in just two-thirds of an inning. It marks a dramatic fall from grace for a reliever who ranked third on the club in appearances last season (66) while recording 66 strikeouts and boasting a 3.08 ERA.
Rodriguez's struggles shed light on the long-term contract he signed before the 2024 season, which still has three years and more than $21 million remaining on it.
Also working against Rodriguez's big league roster chances is the depth of arms looking to make the club. Bullpen hopefuls Adam Macko and Spencer Miles both looked effective in short outings over the weekend, while Tyler Rogers impressed and prospect Gage Stanifer settled in after a shaky start to eighth inning duty on Saturday. They, plus Lauer, are part of a crowded bullpen mix that Rodriguez currently appears to be outside of.
There are a lot of decisions for Schneider and the coaching staff to make between now and Opening Day, and some early indicators with regard to the pitching staff seem to be quietly emerging.
Ben Fisher is a long-time sportswriter and baseball lover, dating back to 2008, when he was a member of the media relations team for the Toronto Blue Jays. He has covered a wide range of sports for a seemingly endless array of publications, including The Canadian Press, Fansided and The Hockey Writers. When he isn't writing about sports, he can be found coaching his equally baseball-obsessed sons' Little League teams.