The Blue Jays' rotation math for 2027 just got a lot clearer, and not in a good way.
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reports it's "extremely unlikely" Jose Berrios opts out of his current contract this offseason.
That means the $48 million remaining on his deal likely isn't coming off Toronto's books this winter.
Berrios underwent Tommy John surgery in May and is expected to miss a significant chunk of the 2027 season.
"Berrios underwent Tommy John surgery in May and is likely to miss a big chunk of the 2027 season, making it extremely unlikely that he would opt out of the final two years of his deal," Feinsand wrote.
None of that should surprise anyone who's followed his situation closely. Testing free agency coming off major elbow surgery rarely makes sense for a player in his position.
Even in a healthy, strong season, $48 million over two years isn't the kind of number most pitchers walk away from lightly.
Why this complicates an already thin rotation
Toronto's rotation core of Jose Soriano, Dylan Cease, and Trey Yesavage has real talent at the top. The problem sits behind them.
The Blue Jays have struggled all year to find reliable No. 4 and No. 5 starters, cycling through arms constantly during the stretch run.
Berrios sitting out a chunk of 2027 while still occupying real payroll space makes that search even harder without extra financial flexibility.
At 32, Berrios remains under contract for two more years on a seven-year, $131 million deal, one that now looks likely to run its full course in Toronto regardless of his health.
That's not a disaster for the organization, but it does mean the front office likely won't have this specific chunk of freed-up money to spend on rotation help this winter.
Toronto's 2026 season has already fallen short of last year's expectations, and offseason questions like this one are starting to pile up before the current season even wraps.
Whether the front office finds another way to add rotation depth without that extra $48 million is the real question heading into the winter.
Should the Blue Jays have expected Jose Berrios to opt out before his Tommy John surgery?
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