BASEBALL: Jay’s Berrios has Tommy John surgery, out for the year

The Toronto Blue Jays suffered a massive blow on Wednesday with the news that veteran starter José Berríos underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery. Performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Texas, the procedure will sideline the 31-year-old right-hander well into the 2027 campaign.

Initially, the Blue Jays hoped Berríos—who missed Toronto’s World Series run last fall due to elbow inflammation—would only require a less invasive procedure to repair a stress fracture and remove loose bodies. However, manager John Schneider revealed that a loose body was discovered directly on the ligament, necessitating the full reconstruction.

“It sucks for him, it sucks for us,” Schneider said before Wednesday’s matchup against the New York Yankees. “Since we acquired him, he’s just been steady… It’s weird not having him.”

Berríos had been the epitome of durability, joining Patrick Corbin as the only major league pitchers to log at least 30 starts in each of the last seven full seasons. Since arriving via a July 2021 trade from Minnesota, Berríos has pitched to a 53-39 record with a 4.09 ERA. He attempted to battle through the discomfort this spring, but a brief four-game rehab stint yielded a 10.67 ERA and noticeably diminished velocity.

His absence further decimates a Toronto rotation already ravaged by injuries. Bowden Francis underwent Tommy John surgery in February, and Cody Ponce suffered a season-ending knee injury in late March. Furthermore, Shane Bieber (forearm) has yet to debut this season, and veteran Max Scherzer has been limited to just five starts.

While Scherzer is scheduled for a bullpen appearance and Bieber could begin throwing next week, time is running out. The struggling Blue Jays are currently sitting third behind the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees in the AL East.

Reno Silva/MS