Jose Berrios wants to turn the page on his frustrating end to 2025

"Coming out of the 2021 season, the Toronto Blue Jays made a significant investment in a talented pitcher they had paid a heavy price to bring in. José Berrios was acquired from the Minnesota Twins for two top prospects and after a fantastic two month audition with the Blue Jays, the front office decided they wanted to keep Berrios around for the long-term. Ahead of the 2022 campaign, Berrios signed a seven-year $131 million extension and over the following four seasons, the native of Puerto Rico has had varying degrees of success."

"But the end of the 2025 season brought things to a head between Berrios, Manager John Schneider, and the Blue Jays front office. Berrios was removed from the rotation and placed into a bullpen role. After initially not loving that move, he accepted his new assignment, but then an injury flared up, and he was left off the playoff roster. Berrios was also absent during the team's run to the World Series and based on comments from both general manager Ross Atkins and Schneider at the Winter Meetings, he left on a sour note."

"José Berrios wants to turn the page on his frustrating end to 2025 Speaking to MLB Network earlier this week, Berrios said, "I was bothered all year long with my elbow and my bicep and with the way the team was competing, I was trying to be out there and compete every five days with them. But at the end of the season, I just couldn't hold back that feeling in my arm anymore." José Berríos on @MLBNetwork: "I battled all year long with my elbow, my bicep..."He says that he wants to pitch in the WBC again in 2026. "I have that in my mind. That's my goal right now." #BlueJaysFull video: https://t.co/OEuvNjmqF0- Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) December 17, 2025"

José Berrios joined the Blue Jays after a costly 2021 trade and signed a seven-year, $131 million extension before the 2022 season. Performance over the next four seasons varied. The end of the 2025 season featured a role change to the bullpen, rising tensions with Manager John Schneider and the front office, and an injury that removed Berrios from the playoff roster. Berrios did not participate in the World Series run. Berrios reports elbow and bicep issues throughout 2025 and expresses a desire to recover and pitch for Puerto Rico in the 2026 WBC.

Read at Jays Journal