The Toronto Blue Jays have a Jose Berrios problem.
The AL Champions, who took the Los Angeles Dodgers all the way to seven games in the World Series, have had a busy winter. They have added great bullpen depth, highlighted by Jorge Alcala, Chase Lee, and Tyler Rogers. However, their main focus has been on their rotation, which now includes free agents Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce. Additionally, Shane Bieber chose to remain with the team rather than seek a big payday on the open market. Unfortunately, this has Berrios on the outside looking in.
Heavy.com has proposed a trade to remedy this situation by acquiring Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox.
Blue Jays Acquire:
- Jarren Duran ($7,700,000)
Red Sox Acquire:
- Jose Berrios ($19,000,000)
- Jojo Parker (Prospect)
- $5 million Salary Retained on Berrios
In this proposal, the Blue Jays add the big bat that they have been seeking. They have whiffed on Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Cody Bellinger, and Alex Bregman. Although they have signed the talented Kazuma Okamoto, bringing in outfielder Duran to complete their roster would be the cherry on top. It also allows them to find a place for Berrios, who has become an extra body that they no longer have room for.
In return, the Red Sox get another starting pitcher. This offseason, they have revamped their rotation with the additions of Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray. Berrios would give them another consistent arm whose injury troubles in 2025 were more of an exception rather than the norm.
Jarren Duran For Jose Berrios Solves Multiple Problems
Objectively speaking, there are two problems remaining for the Blue Jays to solve before the beginning of the season. They could use an elite option in left outfield in addition to figuring out a solution for what to do with Berrios.
This trade proposal solves both of those problems.
Duran Could be the Missing Piece
Mitch Bannon of The Athletic wrote about the state of the Blue Jays’ lineup. He isolates one area where the team could use an upgrade in going into the 2026 season.
“Toronto’s pitching staff appears essentially set,” Bannon wrote on January 20th. “The Jays also project to have at least a two-win player (a solid starter or better) at every offensive position except left field. Even in left, they can dream of a Santander rebound.”
“Barring a lineup-shifting trade, any incoming player would seemingly be a significant upgrade over Santander and Nathan Lukes.”
The Blue Jays could add Duran and still utilize Anthony Santander and Nathan Lukes in other positions.
Duran is an outfielder who played 139 games in left field during the 2025 season. In 157 total games, he recorded 16 home runs, 84 RBIs, 13 triples, 41 doubles, and 159 hits to go along with 24 stolen bases. The outfielder slashed .256/.332/.442.
If Duran had played for the Blue Jays, he would have been one of the best offensive players they had. He would have ranked sixth in home runs, second in RBIs, first in triples, second in doubles, third in hits, and first in stolen bases.
It’s important to note that no Blue Jays batter hit more than two triples in 2025. Duran led the AL in triples and ranked second overall in the MLB, behind Corbin Carroll’s 17 triples.
A Game of Musical Chairs and Berrios is Left Without a Seat
Things aren’t looking particularly promising for the veteran starter.
MLB insider Keegan Matheson recently wrote about the Blue Jays’ rotation and how the team will (likely) not make a hasty decision with Berrios.
“Berríos will ramp up in camp like he always has,” Matheson wrote on January 24th, 2026. “And if the Blue Jays still have six healthy starters by late March, that’s when any uncomfortable conversations can happen. Berrios was ‘not happy’ with how his season ended, being left off the postseason rosters after a trip to the IL (right elbow inflammation) for the first time in his 10-year career.”
“They are not at all eager to trade their own prospects to facilitate salary-dump trades, so any deal would need to make baseball sense.”
Even though this proposal includes a top prospect from Toronto, it still makes baseball sense. While Duran isn’t signed long-term, if the Blue Jays acquired him, it’s not hard to envision him being a great LF for them for the next five to seven years.
Jose Berrios Fits the Asking Price For Duran
MLB insider Jim Bowden recently wrote about several trade candidates, including Duran.
“There has been a lot of speculation that the Red Sox might trade Duran,” Bowden wrote in The Athletic on January 27, 2026. “Because they are planning on starting an outfield of Wilyer Abreu in right, Ceddanne Rafaela in center and Roman Anthony in left, which leaves the 29-year-old Duran as the designated hitter.”
“It’s not that they want to trade Duran, but if the return was either an infielder or starting pitcher who better fits with their current roster, they’d be open to it.”
That last sentence is where Berrios comes in. He is a durable pitcher who has started at least 30 games in each of the last five seasons.
While that might be enough to acquire Duran if it were a team not called the Blue Jays, that’s where adding more value on Toronto’s side comes into play. In-division trades like this are never lop-sided. The addition of Jojo Parker and retaining some of Berrios’ salary helps eliminate some risk for both sides.
Whether these two rivals would trade with one another is one thing, but if they did, a trade centered on Berrios and Duran could be mutually beneficial.
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