Jose Berrios faces a long road back to the majors.
The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander underwent a full Tommy John surgery this week, manager John Schneider announced Wednesday.
Recovery from that procedure typically carries a 12-18 month timeline.
“Not ideal for him, not ideal for us,” Schneider said Wednesday. “Hoping for the best for him, and wishing him well.”
The Blue Jays announced over the weekend that Berrios would have elbow surgery after a meeting with Dr. Keith Meister about a stress fracture. At that time, it was unclear which type of surgery would be required.
It turns out the result was a full reconstruction, as the fracture caused some damage to the ligaments in his elbow.
Berrios did not pitch for the Blue Jays this season after an MRI in spring training revealed a stress fracture in his elbow. He did make four minor league starts, including two in triple-A, as part of a rehab process before being shut down again and having surgery.
“You feel for him, for one, because he’s been so durable and he’s kinda been very stable and constant with what we’re doing here the last few years,” Schneider said. “So you feel for him, you want him to recover as quickly as possible, we’re confident that he will with his work ethic, but it’s tough news when you kinda get that clarity that this is what every pitcher is trying to avoid.”
The injury is the latest setback for a pitcher who has had an otherwise remarkably healthy career. From 2018 to 2024, he made 32 starts every season except in 2020, when he made 12 in the pandemic-shortened campaign.
In 2025, he made 30 starts for the Blue Jays but was removed from the rotation before the team’s playoff run to the World Series. He last pitched in a major league game on Sept. 24.
Berrios joined the Blue Jays in a mid-season trade in 2021 and signed a seven-year, $131-million contract extension the following off-season. He will be a free agent after the 2028 season, leaving his future with the Blue Jays unclear.
For his 10-year career, Berrios has made 273 starts with a 4.08 ERA, 1.239 WHIP and 1,481 strikeouts.
Berrios is the second Blue Jays starter to have Tommy John surgery this year, after Bowden Francis underwent the procedure in the winter.
Two other starters, Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber, remain on the injured list. Schneider said Wednesday that Scherzer will throw off the mound on Thursday while Bieber will pitch one more live session early next week and could begin rehab games after that.
“Shane, I think, is a little more definitive where he’s been trending in the right direction,” Schneider said.
