How Blue Jays Rotation Shakes Out After Jose Berrios Injury Update

Toronto officially knows that it will be without last year's Opening Day starter. So, the starting rotation looks even more unfamiliar for the start of 2026.

Feb 23, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios (17) throws a pitch in the first inning against the New York Mets at TD Ballpark. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

This offseason has been significant for the Toronto Blue Jays with their starting pitching additions, and with the loss of last year's Opening Day starter, José Berríos, that is going to come in handy.

Berríos received word that his entire season might not be derailed, as his most recent injury update has been deemed a stress fracture. He won't need surgery yet. But he will take some time off from throwing, and thankfully, this is much less concerning than a Tommy John surgery.

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Following his meeting with Dr. Keith Meister, Jose Berrios has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right elbow

Berrios remains symptom-free and the plan is to resume throwing after a few days off. He won’t be ready for beginning of the season

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) March 18, 2026

Regardless of how long this keeps him out of the lineup (which has yet to be determined), the Blue Jays will be pitching without him, and the starters will look a little different as new faces take the mound for the first time in Toronto.

Kevin Gausman emerged as one of the best that the staff had to offer last season, and it will be him who takes the mound when their season opens on the final Friday of the month at Rogers Centre against the Athletics.

Current Starting Rotation

Feb 26, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Florida Marlins during spring training at TD Ballpark | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Gausman isn't the only familiar face left with Berríos stepping away, but he is the only starter who was on the team for the entirety of 2026, as both Trey Yesavage and Shane Bieber didn't step into the majors until the very end of the summer.


*Note* These stats are looking at only the 2025 regular season

• Kevin Gausman: 3.59 ERA/189 Strikeouts/1.06 WHIP
• Dylan Cease: 4.55 ERA/215 Strikeouts/1.33 WHIP
• Cody Ponce (KBO): 1.89 ERA/252 Strikeouts/0.94 WHIP
• Trey Yesavage: 3.21 ERA/16 Strikeouts/1.43 WHIP
• Shane Bieber: 3.57 ERA/ 37 Strikeouts/1.02 WHIP
• Max Scherzer: 5.19 ERA/ 89 Strikeouts/1.24 WHIP

If there is one name that jumps off the page as the go-to No. 2 guy, it is strikeout machine Dylan Cease. Cease has posted five consecutive seasons with at least 210 strikeouts, and if there is anybody to get excited about, it is him.

Feb 28, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at TD Ballpark. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

It seems like only a few hours ago Max Scherzer put pen to paper on his return to the clubhouse, but it came at just the right time. Scherzer won't be taking on near the workload that Berríos was expected to take on, but it lessens the blow nonetheless.

Hopefully, the stress fracture in Berríos's elbow isn't something that keeps him out of the game for too long, as the Jays would love to have their workhorse back, but in the meantime, it looks like his teammates are capable of holding down the fort.