The Blue Jays could be facing a tough call between Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker, but one area they don’t have to worry about is their starting rotation for next year. Why? Because with early moves to bring in Dylan Cease and KBO returnee Cody Ponce, they’ve added even more depth to a group that already features Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Jose Berrios.

Moreover, top prospect Ricky Tiedemann is still waiting in the wings. Hence, having so many starters sounds like a good problem to have, but beneath the surface, it could end up squeezing out a veteran arm.

“Berrios was frustrated with the team. Could that lead to a trade? They went out and got Dylan Cease, which is obviously fantastic. They also went out and got Cody Ponce. You have so many guys in the woodworks… A trade here for Jose Berrios is much more likely than it was just a couple of days ago.”

Jays Digest’s host Nick Gosse shared what the surplus starters in the Blue Jays mean for Berrios.

So is this a calculated gamble by the Blue Jays, or just noise?

Well, the Blue Jays did lock up Cody Ponce on a three-year deal, and he’s coming off an MVP season in the KBO, where he really broke out as a frontline starter. In contrast, Berrios dealt with an elbow issue last year, but we’ve seen him dominate when he’s healthy.

Berrios is still a strikeout machine… He’s hit at least 148 SOs every season of his career. Reportedly, his career ERA sits at 4.08, and he’s had stretches where he’s pitched better than that. And financially, he’s also a much bigger commitment with a $131 million deal and a $19 million AAV through 2029. In contrast, Ponce comes in at just $30 million total, giving Toronto a budget-friendly alternative.

But that doesn’t mean Berríos is suddenly the odd man out…

Notably, Berrios has been one of the most durable starters in baseball — at least 30 starts every year since 2018. Nobody has made more starts (234) or thrown more innings (1,367 1/3) over those eight years. And as Gosse said that the Jays might not stick to a strict five-man rotation all season, there’s still a path for Berrios to have a significant role.

Moving Berrios might come as a breather for the Blue Jays with their offense

Well, Berrios’ $19 million AAV through 2029 is a significant number. So, moving that contract would surely clear a lot of room if the Blue Jays decide to trade him. It could give them extra flexibility to re-sign Bo Bichette or make a serious push for Kyle Tucker, even though any trade would probably require the Jays to absorb some costs to get it done.

If Bichette really ends up signing for under $200 million, then offloading roughly $83 million from Berrios’ deal becomes even more meaningful for Toronto. So this isn’t just about Ponce potentially pushing Berrios out of the rotation. But it’s also tied to what the Jays want to do with their lineup and their long-term payroll.

Furthermore, Toronto has already invested heavily in Dylan Cease, which naturally limits how much they can splash on offense. But could the Jays really head into 2026 without either Bichette or Tucker? It doesn’t seem likely, and if they need to create room to keep one of them, Berrios might be the one who feels the impact first.