The Toronto Blue Jays should, ideally, be an all-hands-on-deck team in the 2026 season, especially after they fell just short of a World Series win last year. But despite revamping the roster, their hopes for a healthy start to the new season took a major hit when another key player was sidelined just ahead of Opening Day.

The Puerto Rican right-hander José Berríos has become the newest addition to the Blue Jays’ already existing list of injuries. Berríos has suffered a stress fracture in his right elbow, adding to the Toronto fans’ concern. As the news of his injury broke, Keegan Matheson reported the RHP’s status for the season’s start on X.

“News: José Berríos has a stress fracture in his right elbow. While this sounds bad, John Schneider says that Berríos is pain-free and they hope he will resume throwing soon (and can pitch through it). He will not be ready for Opening Day, though. #BlueJays.”

The 31-year-old starter is in the fifth year of a seven-year, $131 million contract with the Blue Jays. Last season, he pitched with an ERA of 4.17, logging 166 innings and 138 strikeouts in 30 starts. But the workhorse ended the season on the injury list, missing the Blue Jays’ entire postseason run, including the World Series.

‘La Makina’ learned the details of his fracture during his visit to specialist Dr. Keith Meister.

He has previously struggled with right elbow inflammation in September 2025, which landed him on the Injured List (IL) for the first time in his 10-year MLB career.

Before the QF stage of the World Baseball Classic, Berríos was undergoing testing for insurance purposes. The hope was to join his country, Puerto Rico, for the tournament. But MRI reports showed “a different inflammation” from late last season, as revealed by the Blue Jays skipper John Schneider.

Berríos’ visit to the doctor revealed the stress fracture as the reason for the elbow inflammation.

As a result, he was scratched from Thursday’s scheduled start, and the franchise is now in an “info gathering” stage.

Schneider has revealed, “In talking to José, there’s no pain, so that’s a good thing.”

“Whether that’s kind of been there or whether that isn’t affecting him when he throws, that’s a good thing. But we’re definitely going to monitor it going forward.”

The manager also shared that had it not been a WBC season, and no MRI was required for insurance, this would not have come to light.

“He’s going to continue to play catch until we get a bit more info,” Schneider added.

While Berríos won’t start, he was seen throwing off flat ground on March 12 at the Blue Jays’ complex in Dunedin and plans to continue doing so.

There is no news of Berríos undergoing surgery yet.

Toronto will now be starting the season without Shane Bieber, Bowden Francis, Yimi Garcia, Ricky Tiedemann, and Chay Yeager. Francis and Yeager are out for the season due to season-ending UCL surgeries. While Bieber will begin the season on IL, Garcia and Tiedemann are working their way back.

The Blue Jays’ rotation is now left with Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Max Scherzer, and Cody Ponce. Eric Lauer is also there, who can step up as the No. 6 or a long reliever. That may open up a spot in the bullpen instead.

Angel Bastardo (the Rule 5 pick) showed an impressive bullpen performance in the 2026 Spring Training camp, allowing only two earned runs over 5 2/3 innings, utilizing a mid-90s fastball to generate weak contact and groundballs. Plus, Tommy Nance is out of options.

Even Bieber could return, too. But that may take over a month of build-up, as he hasn’t thrown off a mound yet.

Though Schneider has kept his hopes on Berríos joining the team later in the season alive, fans remain wary of his return.

Berríos’ injury impacts Blue Jays’ rotation plans

Though the Blue Jays have named Kevin Gausman their Opening Day starter, Berríos’ unavailability means losing an important depth piece.

With Bieber in the IL and Francis out for the entire season, the Blue Jays were already struggling with rotation depth. Now, it will be mainly Max Scherzer and Cody Ponce handling the rotation depth.

Ponce has posted an impressive 1.13 ERA in four starts with 7 strikeouts this spring.

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With Berríos out, the starting rotation would consist of Gausman, followed by Cease, Ponce, Scherzer, and Eric Lauer or Trey Yesavage.

Cease and Ponce are the Jays’ newest additions to amp up the rotation.

Toronto signed Cease on a seven-year, $210 million deal in November 2025, while Ponce is on a 3-year, $30 million contract. Meanwhile, the franchise re-signed the veteran Scherzer on a one-year extension.

As per Sportsnet, the Blue Jays’ final four Spring Training games hint at what their starting rotation can be to begin the regular season.

Ponce will be starting Thursday against the New York Yankees, followed by Scherzer against the Minnesota Twins on Friday. The Opening Day starter, Gausman, will take the mound versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, and on Sunday, it will be Cease against the Tampa Bay Rays.