Blue Jays' Jose Berrios Gets Troubling Diagnosis

The Toronto Blue Jays have already been hit with a couple of troubling injury updates to their starting staff this season, now they get this on Jose Berrios: He has a stress fracture in his throwing elbow. He will go on the IL and not be ready for Opening Day. But he will not be having surgery, and will eventually try to pitch through it.

Following his meeting with Dr. Keith Meister, Jose Berrios has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right elbow

Berrios remains symptom-free and the plan is to resume throwing after a few days off. He won’t be ready for beginning of the season
— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) March 18, 2026

Jays beat writer Arden Zwelling reports that the meeting with the famed elbow orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister, revealed the diagnosis. However, shockingly, Berrios is symptom-free. The only reason he even had an MRI on his elbow was for insurance purposes in order to try to participate for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic (which he wasn't able to do after the questionable MRI results).

Berrios will pitch through the stress fracture diagnosis

Berris will take a few days off and then continue throwing. He will pitch through the stress fracture.

"As of now, yes,” manager John Schneider said, per mlb.com. “That was the goal of the in-person visit and that was what he agreed on with Dr. [Keith] Meister and our team, too. Just a couple of days down to be cautious, then keep throwing.”

Berrios, 31, actually felt and looked strong in his first three Grapefruit League starts, posting a 3.38 ERA through 10.2 innings.

But at the end of a very rocky 2025 season, some elbow inflammation did send the 10-year veteran to the injured list late in the season for the first time in his career. This newly-diagnosed stress fracture could certainly have been the cause.

"We’ll monitor it, for sure, and in talking to José, there’s no pain,” Schneider said. “That’s a good thing. Whether that’s been there or that just isn’t affecting him when he throws, that’s a good thing, but we’re definitely going to monitor it going forward.”

With Shane Bieber also delayed to start the year, the Jays will go into the season with a starting rotation of Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Max Scherzer, and Cody Ponce, with Trey Yesavage (also ramping up slowly with limited innings) and lefty Eric Lauer as the 5th and/or 6th men.