Jose Berrios makes his return stance clear to Blue Jays front office

Berrios said he will leave the timing of his return to the Blue Jays' front office and coaching staff, but added that physically he has been feeling great. That is the line that changes the tone around his rehab.

This is no longer about whether Berrios is progressing. It is about whether Ross Atkins and Schneider believe the next step should come in Toronto instead of one more stop in the minors.

Tuesday now looms as the real checkpoint. Berrios is lined up to throw 70-75 pitches at Triple-A, a workload that would put him right on the edge of major-league readiness if the outing goes cleanly.

That matters because the Blue Jays have already seen steady progress from him. MLB.com reported he opened his rehab assignment at 47 pitches in his first start, then followed with 4 scoreless innings and 5 strikeouts in his second outing.

The bigger point is how Berrios sounds now. A pitcher saying he feels great is one thing. A pitcher saying the rest is up to the front office is usually a sign he believes he has done his part.

For Toronto, that creates a good problem. The club badly needs reliable innings, but it also cannot afford to rush a veteran starter coming back from an elbow issue if there is still one more box to check.

This is where Berrios changes the conversation. He is not just another rehab arm trying to sneak back onto the staff. He is a proven starter with 273 career MLB starts and a long track record of carrying innings.

Toronto has been patching the rotation for weeks. MLB.com noted that Berrios, Trey Yesavage, and Shane Bieber all opened the season on the injured list, leaving the staff thinner than expected almost from the start.

So when Berrios gets to a 70-75 pitch target, the stakes change. That is starter volume, not a light rehab box to tick before another routine appearance.

Atkins and Schneider still may choose patience. One more rehab turn would give Berrios another chance to build up, sharpen execution, and prove the elbow can hold full-game stress without a setback.

But the door is clearly open now. If Tuesday goes well, Toronto would have a hard time justifying much more waiting, especially with the major-league staff still searching for stability.

That is why Berrios' comments landed the way they did. He is not asking for the ball in dramatic fashion. He is calmly telling the Blue Jays he feels ready, and that the call belongs to them now.