The Blue Jays’ offseason plans may have to account for one less chunk of flexibility than they might have hoped.
According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, it is "extremely unlikely" that Jose Berrios will opt out of the final two years of his contract, which would leave Toronto on the hook for the remaining $48 million. Feinsand tied that expectation directly to Berrios’ health, noting that "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."
That lines up with the reality facing the Blue Jays now. Berrios, 32, is on the injured list after undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this year, and his seven-year, $131 million contract still has $48 million left on it. With that kind of injury timeline, the idea of him walking away from the deal this winter looks remote.
For Toronto, the timing matters. The club is expected to make offseason moves after a disappointing 2026 season, and the starting rotation is one of the key areas to watch. Jose Soriano, Dylan Cease and Trey Yesavage are in place as core pieces, but the Blue Jays need stronger No. 4 and No. 5 options than the ones they’ve gotten this year.
Berrios’ situation makes the picture even less flexible. If he were healthy and putting together a strong season, opting out still would not have been a slam dunk with $48 million sitting there over the next two years. But coming off major surgery and facing a likely absence for a large part of 2027, the better bet is that he stays put.
In other words, Toronto should be planning as though that money stays committed, because everything Feinsand reported points in the same direction: Berrios is "extremely unlikely" to leave that contract behind.
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For Toronto, the concern is bigger than one cold stretch. Springer has long been a lineup stabilizer, the kind of veteran presence who can turn a quiet night into a productive one with a few well-struck balls, but the recent trend suggests the Blue Jays are having to work around his slump rather than count on him to carry them through it. As the standings tighten, those missing extra-base swings and lost quality at-bats can add up quickly. [Read more 🡒]