Calgary's Michael Soroka is being pitched as the Blue Jays' answer to José Berrios' long absence. The idea came Tuesday from blogTO's Marley Dickinson.

Berrios had Tommy John surgery on May 20, and John Schneider set the recovery at 12 to 14 months. That points to a mid-2027 return at best.

It's a big hole to fill. Berrios made at least 30 starts in every full season from 2018 through 2025, a run matched only by Patrick Corbin.

Soroka would help. The 29-year-old went 9-5 with a 3.41 ERA for the Diamondbacks in 2026.

He struck out 114 and walked just 29. His 1.09 WHIP was the lowest among Arizona starters and edged Dylan Cease's 1.10.

How would he have fit in Toronto this year? Remarkably well.

Michael Soroka would have been Toronto's second-best starter

Only Cease and Kevin Gausman topped 100 innings for the Jays this year. Soroka's total would have ranked third on that staff.

Among Blue Jays with at least 15 starts, only Cease posted a lower ERA. Sixteen different pitchers started games for Toronto as injuries piled up.

Berrios, Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage all opened the year on the IL. Cody Ponce got hurt in his debut on March 30 and didn't pitch again.

Soroka should be near the top of Ross Atkins' list. He'd cost far less than Tarik Skubal and leave room for another starter or a lefty reliever.

Signing a hometown arm after a lost season is like bringing a fresh voice into a tired choir. The song sounds new again, and the crowd sings along.

There's competition, though. Soroka and the Diamondbacks have both expressed interest in a reunion.

Berrios, meanwhile, is pushing to come back fast. He recently trained at the club's player development complex in Dunedin, where Alejandro Kirk crossed paths with him on Oct. 23.

That access could disappear soon. If a lockout starts Dec. 1, players on 40-man rosters will be barred from team facilities, which makes landing a healthy arm like Soroka even more urgent.