Questions Arise in the Aftermath of José Berríos' Tommy John Surgery Announcement

There is plenty to unpack after the news that José Berríos will miss the rest of 2026 and beyond upon undergoing Tommy John surgery.

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

The latest discouraging injury list update for the Toronto Blue Jays landed on Wednesday, when the club announced that José Berríos was set to undergo Tommy John surgery and be forced to miss the next 12-14 months as he recovers.

Berríos had yet to pitch in 2026 after dealing with elbow inflammation, but there was optimism that he was on track to return to the mound as he made four rehab starts. Those appearances, however, yielded elbow discomfort and reduced velocity, leading to tests revealing the presence of loose bodies on his elbow ligament that necessitated the surgery.

Now, Berríos will not factor into the Blue Jays' 2026 season and probably won't be available until well into the 2027 campaign. He joins fellow Tommy John surgery recipient Bowden Francis and Cody Ponce (torn ACL in right knee) among the starting pitchers sidelined for the remainder of the season, with Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation) and Max Scherzer (right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation) also injured.

The Berríos news raises plenty of questions - both for Toronto in the absence of their $19 million right-hander and for the player, himself.

How Do the Blue Jays Move Forward Without Berríos?

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Shane Bieber | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Despite starting the season with what seemed to be an enviable amount of starting pitching depth, the Blue Jays now find themselves with no safety net when it comes to the rotation. Berríos was believed to be a depth solution at some point for a club that has already needed to add one insurance starter (Patrick Corbin) this season and still finds itself relying on a bullpen day for every fifth outing.

Now, the status quo seems to be Toronto's reality for the foreseeable future. Sportsnet's Shi Davidi recently reported that Bieber is expected to begin making rehab appearances on the mound by the end of the week if all goes well and Scherzer could be even closer to a major league return as he gets set to throw a side bullpen session. Still, there are no guarantees when it comes to two veteran pitchers - one of whom will soon turn 42 - with extensive injury histories.

Even with some optimistic injury updates for Bieber and Scherzer, plenty of pressure remains for the current starters to stay healthy. Trey Yesavage has been borderline unhittable in his five games since returning, but it remains to be seen how his right shoulder holds up over the long run as he continues to ramp back up. The team must also rely heavily on the continued health of Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease and even Corbin.

What Does This Mean for Berríos and His Blue Jays Legacy?

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Apart from its impact on the current season, Berríos' injury and surgery raise broader questions about the 31-year-old's tenure in Toronto. The Puerto Rico native is still days away from his 32nd birthday, so he still should have plenty of opportunities to prolong his playing career once he returns.

However, with his back-loaded contract still carrying two years at $24 million each, the uncertainty of Tommy John recovery and some already-turbulent history between player and team, it's possible this could be the end of the line for Berríos' Jays tenure.

If it is, Berríos would leave behind a complicated legacy as a Blue Jay. Acquired from the Minnesota Twins for two top prospects (Simeon Woods Richardson and Austin Martin), he was brought in with the hopes that Toronto was landing an ascending front-line starter.

That was partially true. After a shaky first full season in which he led all of baseball in earned runs and hits allowed, Berríos settled into a pair of solid, healthy 2023 and 2024 campaigns. In the ill-fated 2024 ALDS (against his former Minnesota squad, appropriately enough), he was tabbed as the Blue Jays' Game 2 starter.

But the story of Berríos in Toronto cannot be fully told without acknowledging his largely ineffective 2022 and 2025 campaigns, plus his uncharacteristically injury-marred recent history.

Perhaps most damning, he will also be remembered for opting to rehab from bicep and elbow inflammation at home in Puerto Rico rather than being with the team during their World Series run last fall, a decision that may have been related to his demotion to the bullpen.

There's no way around the fact that the announcement of Berríos' Tommy John surgery is simply bad news for all involved. The Blue Jays now find themselves without suitable rotation depth and Berríos finds himself facing plenty of uncertainty regarding his future in both baseball and in Toronto.