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Blue Jays’ José Berríos Scheduled for Elbow Surgery

5/17/2026

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Summary

Berríos Elbow Surgery

The Toronto Blue Jays said right-hander José Berríos will have elbow surgery Wednesday.
Dr. Keith Meister will repair the stress fracture and assess ligaments.
Berríos posted a 10.67 ERA with 90.1 MPH in four Triple-A rehab games and is under a seven-year, $131 million deal that pays $19 million in 2026.
His absence leaves Toronto without a fifth starter and may trigger $24 million payments in 2027-28 if he opts in.

Summary

Berríos Rough Start

José Berríos appeared on September 24, 2025, allowing three earned runs in two innings against Boston.
He was the Blue Jays’ opening-day starter in 2022, 2024 and 2025 and finished the season with a 9-5 record, a 4.17 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 31 games.
The rotation lacks Shane Bieber, Cody Ponce and Max Scherzer, leaving Toronto fourth in the AL East at 19-25, 10.5 games behind Tampa Bay Rays.

History

Historical Context

In 2011 the Detroit Tigers locked up ace Justin Verlander with a nine-year contract; a 2013 extension then made him the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history. That season he captured both the AL MVP and Cy Young awards and recorded his 1,000th strikeout, prompting other clubs—such as the New York Mets’ 2022 two-year $86.7 million deal—to allocate massive long-term payroll to arms.

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Berríos Elbow Surgery

The Toronto Blue Jays said right-hander José Berríos will have elbow surgery Wednesday.
Dr. Keith Meister will repair the stress fracture and assess ligaments.
Berríos posted a 10.67 ERA with 90.1 MPH in four Triple-A rehab games and is under a seven-year, $131 million deal that pays $19 million in 2026.
His absence leaves Toronto without a fifth starter and may trigger $24 million payments in 2027-28 if he opts in.

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