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José Berrios didn't have an easy 2025 season. The pitcher had a rather ordinary year on the mound, so much so that he was taken out of the rotation towards the end of the season.
And his regular season ended on the injured list.
At that point, the door was open for him to return somewhere in the playoffs. And even though the Jays went all the way, Berrios never came back… and wasn't really seen around the club.
And Ross Atkins, at his press briefing today, chatted about all this… and mentioned that it was Berrios himself who decided to stay away from the club.
Then when Atkins was asked if Berrios was unhappy, he noted that the pitcher was disappointed not to be in the rotation.
Ross Atkins says Berríos' absence during the World Series was Berríos' decision.
Asked: Was Berríos unhappy?
“He was not happy … He was disappointed that he wasn't in our rotation. He handled it well, but then when it came down to roster selection, he wasn't on it.” #BlueJays
– Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) December 8, 2025
Obviously, Atkins said all the right things when he said that he can't wait to see Berrios again next year and that the club is happy to have him. But when you read those words, you can see why there's a lot of talk about the pitcher leaving for 2026.
That's the kind of reaction that can put an end to a union between a player and a team.
The question now is whether a team will want to take Berrios (and his contract) in a hypothetical deal. His value has never been lower, after all… and all this is likely to chill teams who aren't prepared to guarantee Berrios a place in their rotation.
We also note that Atkins reiterated that the Jays see Cody Ponce as a starter (but Louis Varland as a reliever) and that they won't be limiting Trey Yesavage's workload in 2026. Again, not a good sign for Berrios' place in the rotation, that.
More and more, then, we have to envision a world in which Berrios won't be in Toronto in 2026. At least, that's what you read between the lines when you focus on Atkins' words.
- Don Mattingly is on his way to becoming the Phillies' bench coach, says Dave Dombrowski.
Don Mattingly, who should have made the Hall of Fame yesterday, is close to joining the Phillies as bench coach. Phillies president Dave Dombrowski told writers here.
– Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 8, 2025
- World Classic: Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony are not expected to attend.
Some WBC news: Craig Breslow doesn't expect Garrett Crochet or Roman Anthony to participate.
– Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) December 8, 2025
- There's interest in CJ Abrams.
It's not just MacKenzie Gore. Nationals also drawing heavy interest in CJ Abrams. With @WillSammon. https://t.co/hQB3wApTxK
– Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 8, 2025
- Mason Miller to stay in Padres bullpen.
Padres To Keep Mason Miller In Bullpen https://t.co/HQHSeCqmX6 pic.twitter.com/ee2xxG89LH
– MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) December 8, 2025
- What will the Tigers do if they keep Tarik Skubal?
If the Tigers choose not to trade Tarik Skubal, they must take their best shot to win it all in 2026. Column: https://t.co/EamDaBgFiJ
– Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 8, 2025
This content was created with the help of AI.
