José Berrios isn't going anywhere. The Blue Jays right-hander passed on his chance to opt out, keeping the final two years of his contract in place.

The deal pays him $48 million over the next two seasons. The option deadline passed Monday night without any announcement from the club.

MLB Trade Rumors' Anthony Franco wrote that it's “safe to assume he did not opt out of the final two years on his contract.”

Nobody expected otherwise. ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote in September that Berrios, coming off Tommy John surgery, “will not be going anywhere.”

The surgery came in May. He's not expected back until the latter half of 2027 at the earliest.

Can you blame him? Not one bit.

José Berrios' salary squeezes the Blue Jays' rotation budget

For Toronto, though, it's an expensive line on the books. That money is tied up in a pitcher who may not throw a meaningful inning for months.

It could also affect other decisions. Shane Bieber is now a free agent, and the Berrios money might make a reunion harder to fit.

The Jays reinstated him from the 60-day IL on Monday, along with six others, including Addison Barger and Anthony Santander.

He's been training in Dunedin as he works his way back. Doctors found bone growing into his ligament during the surgery, an unusual complication.

This is the cost of a contract that aged badly. Toronto can't do anything about it now, but it can't let it become an excuse to skip the bats and arms this roster needs.

His deal is like paying rent on a storage unit you can't open yet. The payments keep coming, and the box stays locked for now.

When he does return, the Jays will have a decision to make about his role. A swingman or bullpen spot might fit better than the rotation.

That's a problem for late 2027. For now, Ross Atkins has to build a winner around a roster with a lot of money already spoken for.