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. Despite revamping their roster this offseason, their hopes for a healthy start to the new season took a major hit, as another key player has been 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, i.e., his throwing arm, adding to the Toronto fans’ concern. As the news of his injury broke, Keegan Matheson reported on X that the RHP won’t be ready for the season’s start.

“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 one silver lining to this situation is that he is at present pain-free, and manager Schneider hopes that he can rejoin the team soon.

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.

Nicknamed La Makina, Berríos learned the details of his fracture during his visit to specialist Dr. Keith Meister. He has previously struggled with elbow inflammation and failed an insurance physical examination due to it last week.

The franchise ran its own MRI and found the same inflammation. Berríos’ visit to the doctor revealed the stress fracture as the reason for the elbow inflammation.

Schneider revealed, “In talking to Jose, there’s no pain, so that’s a good thing.” He added, “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.”

There is no news of Berríos undergoing surgery yet; Schneider’s words confirm he will be closely monitored for further developments.

Berríos is another name in the Blue Jays’ current array of pitcher injuries. Toronto will 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.

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

Some fans took to X, expressing their concern about his injury being a season-ending one. While others have wished him a speedy recovery.

With Berríos starting the season on the IL, Toronto’s rotation needs new plans ahead of Opening Day.

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.

With Berríos out, the starting rotation would consist of Gausman, followed by Dylan 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.