The Blue Jays fell 6-1 Sunday, but still took two of three from the Royals to close the series.

Toronto sits at 72-72, fourth place in the AL East, having gone 7-3 over its last 10 games.

The Blue Jays are 35-37 on the road this season and head to Oakland Monday for their next series against the Athletics.

Beneath the day-to-day results, one financial reality lingers over this rotation. Jose Berrios has missed the entire 2026 season after Tommy John surgery on May 20.

MLB.com reported the procedure would keep him out 12 to 18 months.

If Berrios doesn't opt out of his contract, Toronto still owes him $24 million per year in both 2027 and 2028, a total of $48 million for a pitcher who threw zero innings this season.

That's real money tied up while the rotation has churned through injury after injury elsewhere.

Why Berrios's deal still matters to Toronto's future

Berrios was a first-round pick in 2012, spending his first 5.5 seasons with the Twins, where he made two All-Star teams.

Toronto acquired him via trade during the 2021 season, then signed him to a seven-year, $131 million extension that November.

"Right-hander Jose Berrios and the Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement on a seven-year, $131 million contract extension," ESPN's Jeff Passan reported at the time. "The deal includes an opt-out clause after the fifth season."

That opt-out clause is exactly what's now in question, with reporting elsewhere suggesting it's extremely unlikely he walks away given his surgery timeline.

Before this lost season, Berrios had been a durable, productive presence in Toronto's rotation, going 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA across 31 games the year prior.

None of that history changes the math facing Toronto's front office. A significant chunk of payroll is now committed to a recovering pitcher through 2028, regardless of how strong the current rotation looks once healthy.

For a team already managing injuries to Corbin, Yesavage, Taillon, and Bieber, Berrios's situation is a reminder that some of this season's toughest roster puzzles extend well beyond just this year.