The Toronto Blue Jays’ rotation makeover has turned one of their most reliable veterans into a dilemma. With new arms like Dylan Cease and KBO standout Cody Ponce joining a staff already featuring Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, and Jose Berrios, Toronto suddenly has more starting pitchers than rotation spots.
That surplus, combined with Berrios’ declining numbers and hefty contract, has pushed the front office into a tight corner. They’re weighing on-field stability against long-term payroll flexibility, and honestly, it’s not an easy call.
Blue Jays Rotation: From Need to Surplus
Toronto went into the offseason desperate for stability at the top of the rotation. They didn’t hesitate, overhauling the pitching staff and shaking up Berrios’ role with the club.
Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce Change the Landscape
Dylan Cease brings a high-octane arm and can miss bats at an elite rate. He immediately raises the rotation’s ceiling.
Cody Ponce, coming off a strong KBO run, signed a three-year, $30 million deal. That kind of commitment says the Blue Jays see him as a real piece, not just insurance.
Ponce is expected to grab a rotation spot right out of the gate. Then you’ve got Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and rookie Trey Yesavage, and you’re already at five starters—before even mentioning Jose Berrios.
Suddenly, there’s a genuine surplus. It’s a luxury most teams would envy, but it also sparks trade rumors.
The Jose Berrios Conundrum
Berrios has been one of baseball’s most durable starting pitchers for years. But it’s not that simple anymore.
His track record still matters, but the trends aren’t pointing in the right direction. It’s tough to ignore that shift.
From Durable Workhorse to Question Mark
At 32, Jose Berrios still shows up every fifth day. Since 2018, he’s led MLB in games started and innings pitched—a true iron man in a game that doesn’t have many left.
Teams crave that kind of consistency, especially now, with openers and bullpen days everywhere. But the performance has started to slip.
Over the last two seasons, Berrios has seen:
His velocity’s down to career lows. Hitters are making sharper contact and punishing pitches he used to command. The profile’s shifting—he looks less like a frontline starter and more like a mid-rotation innings-eater, which matters a lot when there’s big money attached.
The Contract: Asset or Anchor?
Berrios’ contract can’t be ignored. He’s owed three years and $66 million, with some clauses that could push it closer to $70 million.
That deal made sense when he looked like a No. 2. Now, if he’s just average, it’s a lot riskier.
For teams thinking about a trade, here’s what they’re facing:
Honestly, it’s hard to see anyone taking on Berrios without Toronto eating some salary or swapping for another big contract.
Timing, Leverage, and No-Trade Complications
The calendar adds another wrinkle. Berrios is creeping up on a service-time milestone that could tie Toronto’s hands.
Approaching 10-Year Service Time
Berrios is about to hit 10 years of MLB service, which will give him full no-trade rights by next July. Once he gets there, he can veto any deal he doesn’t like.
That deadline shrinks Toronto’s window if they want to move him. A midseason trade gets tricky because:
The upcoming Winter Meetings feel huge. If Toronto’s going to shake things up, this is probably the moment.
Why the Blue Jays Might Keep Him Anyway
Despite all the rumors, there’s a real chance Berrios stays put. Maybe not as a bonus, but because they actually need him.
Insurance for 2026 and Beyond
Rotations get thinned by injuries every year—it’s almost inevitable. Having a reliable veteran as your fifth starter, or even as a swingman, isn’t the worst problem to have.
For 2026, Berrios could be the steadying force behind younger, higher-upside arms. That lets the Blue Jays manage workloads and avoid burning out prospects too soon.
Of course, trading his contract would open up a lot of payroll space. That flexibility could be the key to chasing or keeping stars like Bo Bichette, or maybe going after someone like Kyle Tucker.
It’s a real trade-off—do you pay for certainty in the rotation now, or gamble on your depth to spend big on bats and future cornerstones? There’s no obvious answer, and the front office has some tough calls ahead.
Winter Meetings: Where Strategy Meets Risk
The stage is set for a tense, maybe even chaotic, Winter Meetings for Toronto’s front office. They’ve got a rotation that looks solid on paper, but there’s this expensive, trending-down veteran in Berrios hanging over everything.
The Blue Jays have to walk a tightrope between roster flexibility and financial commitment. It’s not just about trading a pitcher, is it?
They’re really asking themselves how much risk they can stomach—whether that’s in their rotation, their budget, or the direction of their whole competitive window.
Here is the source article for this story: Blue Jays Open To Trading Jose Berrios
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