Jose Berrios’ Season in Jeopardy Due to Elbow Injury

Jose Berrios may end up missing the entire season, as his delayed start raises concerns about his health.

The right-handed pitcher for the Blue Jays has been out since elbow inflammation was identified while he was preparing to pitch for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. He is slated for surgery on Wednesday to address a stress fracture along with a loose body in his elbow.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider mentioned that Dr. Keith Meister would also check for any potential ligament damage.

The outlook for Berrios isn’t great—he’s likely to be sidelined for several months. If the situation worsens, or if he returns but the Blue Jays are out of playoff contention, it’s possible he won’t play this season at all.

As Schneider remarked, “There could be something wrong with the ligament. They’ll understand when they get there.”

Berrios had attempted a comeback with four rehab starts at Triple-A but halted after feeling discomfort during a May 3 appearance.

Schneider also acknowledged the inherent risks associated with pitching, saying, “Even if they’re as healthy as they can be, there’s always a risk. That’s a risk he and we both accepted when we said, ‘Keep throwing.’

This situation simply adds to the frustrations for Berrios, who has had a challenging eight months. Last season, he appeared in 31 games for the Blue Jays and finished with a 9-5 record. Unfortunately, he ended up on the disabled list in September, which kept him out of the World Series playoffs due to the inflammation.

He has an opt-out clause in his contract that he could potentially exercise after this season.

Berrios has two remaining years on his contract, totaling $48 million.

Considering the uncertainty of his health, it’s hard to believe he would choose to opt out, even if he eventually makes his season debut.

His absence is particularly significant for the Blue Jays, as their rotation is already missing notable pitchers like Shane Bieber, Max Scherzer, and Cody Ponce.

At 31 years old, Berrios has generally been reliable, maintaining a track record of stability amid rising arm injury concerns. Interestingly, he has started at least 30 games in each of the last seven full seasons and made 12 starts during the shortened 2020 season.