Blue Jays pitcher Jose Berrios 1st start of the season announced

Toronto is considering Berrios for Monday against the Rays if he comes out of his latest rehab work feeling good. That puts his first MLB start of 2026 within reach after more than a month on the shelf.

That matters because the Blue Jays have been patching this rotation together since spring. Berrios opened the season on the injured list with a stress fracture in his right elbow, and his absence forced Toronto to lean harder on stopgap innings than it wanted.

The timeline was never going to be only about feeling healthy. Toronto wanted Berrios stretched back out like a starter, which is why his most recent Triple-A outing carried so much weight.

That outing did not go smoothly. Berrios worked 4 innings, gave up 5 earned runs on 5 hits, allowed 2 home runs, walked 2, struck out 2, and threw 70 pitches.

So this is not a victory-lap return date. It is a front office and coaching staff deciding whether the workload mattered more than the box score.

Berrios had already said before that start that he felt great physically and would leave the final call to the Blue Jays. That comment lands differently now, because the next move really is Toronto's choice.

There is a fair case for bringing him back anyway. Berrios reached the 70-pitch area the club wanted, and the elbow issue does not appear to be bothering him. That is a big part of the checklist for a veteran with his track record.

There is also a fair case for one more pause. A veteran starter giving up 2 long balls and 5 earned runs in Triple-A is not the cleanest sign that he is ready to face major-league lineups right away.

That is why Monday matters so much. If the Blue Jays go through with it, they are betting that Berrios' experience and health matter more than one rough rehab line.

The broader rotation picture adds pressure to that call. Toronto has already welcomed Trey Yesavage back, Max Scherzer's season has been shaky, and the staff has not had much room for patience.

Berrios is not just another arm for this club. He has made 273 MLB starts in his career, and when he is right, he gives the Blue Jays exactly what they have been missing: stable innings from a proven starter.

So the headline is simple now. Jose Berrios has a possible return lined up for Monday against Tampa Bay, and the Blue Jays are down to one final question: was the last rehab start good enough to say go.