The Toronto Blue Jays will be without one of their starters for the foreseeable future. Blue Jays manager John Schneider informed reporters, including Hazel Mae of Sportsnet, that Jose Berrios had undergone Tommy John surgery.
Berrios was already set to undergo surgery to address loose bodies and a stress fracture in his pitching elbow. At the time, it was unclear if the UCL would be involved. However, that was indeed the case, and it will lengthen the recovery time as a result.
While it’s bad news for a starter to require Tommy John surgery, there is more certainty about when Berrios will return. The typical recovery time from UCL reconstruction surgery is 12-15 months. That paints a return around the 2027 All-Star break.
Jose Berrios Undergoes Tommy John Surgery
Berrios becomes the second Blue Jays starter to require Tommy John surgery in 2026. Right-hander Bowden Francis, who emerged as a rotation arm last season, had the procedure done in February.
For the Blue Jays, the certainty surrounding one of their starters allows them to move forward. Berrios has not pitched this year after sustaining an elbow fracture in the spring.
Initially, the right-hander was going to try to rehab the injury. However, he suffered a setback with his elbow in the final ramp-up with Triple-A Buffalo, leading to a sharp velocity drop and further testing. Eventually, Berrios underwent surgery with Dr. Keith Meister, later revealed to be the full Tommy John.
The Blue Jays can also expect Berrios not to exercise the opt-out in his contract. The right-hander signed a seven-year, $131 million extension not too long after his trade to Toronto. He is set to earn $24 million each in 2027 and 2028.
Blue Jays Approaching Disaster with Rotation
Despite signing two starters in free agency, the Blue Jays are approaching disaster with their starting rotation. The rotation has undergone various injuries over the course of the 2026 season. The club began the season without Francis and Berrios, leading to them bringing back Max Scherzer in March.
Scherzer, along with Lazaro Estrada and Shane Bieber, is currently on the injured list. There is no update as to when the three starters could return in 2026, leaving the Blue Jays in limbo about their rotation for the foreseeable future.
Toronto will have to navigate the rest of the season knowing that Berrios will not return. Their rotation depth has been stretched to the brink due to a litany of injuries. The Blue Jays are currently operating with a de facto rotation of Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, Patrick Corbin, and Spencer Miles.
Despite a 21-27 start, the Blue Jays are still alive in the American League playoff race. They enter play on May 20 just two games back of the Texas Rangers for the final Wild Card spot. In an American League that has very few teams with a winning record, they are just one run away from getting back into the postseason chase.
For now, Toronto will have to survive until the club can reinforce its decimated rotation at the trade deadline.
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