The Toronto Blue Jays received a difficult news update on right-hander Jose Berrios, who is penciled into the starting rotation for the 2026 regular season after losing his spot near the end of last year.
Berrios has been denied insurance clearance to pitch for Team Puerto Rico for the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, reports Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The news came shortly after Team Puerto Rico manager Yadier Molina told the media that Berrios had been approved to participate in the event. He was slated to work in tandem with Seth Lugo of the Kansas City Royals in an upcoming matchup.
“He feels healthy,” Team Puerto Rico general manager Carlos Beltran told reporters, including Davidi, in comments translated from Spanish to English. “There’s no doubt that it would have helped us to have him.”
Berrios went down with elbow inflammation late in the 2025 campaign. He had already been bumped to the bullpen. Berrios was not on the club’s roster in the postseason and ditched the team during the 2025 World Series run.
Toronto Blue Jays News Update: Jose Berrios Barred From Team Puerto Rico WBC Roster
Insurance issues have plagued the 2026 WBC. Star players on several rosters were unable to get clearance to play. The concerns were so rampant that Team Puerto Rico considered backing out of the event entirely. Los Angeles Dodgers postseason hero Miguel Rojas called out a lack of communication that led to affected players not being able to seek alternative coverage in time. Rojas was unable to join Team Venezuela due to changes in the insurance coverage regarding age.
The elbow problems Berrios experienced near the end of last season initially held him from obtaining insurance coverage for the tournament. However, the righty was confident he would be approved for the next round. “They said they have to see me and evaluate me,” Berrios told reporters, including Davidi, in late February. “If I’m healthy, then they will insure me.”
Team Puerto Rico sits atop Pool A with a 3-1 record. The squad fell to Team Canada on Tuesday, March 10, but had already punched its ticket to the next round. Team Japan, Team Korea, Team Dominican Republic, and Team Venezuela have also advanced to the quarterfinals.
Jose Berrios to Regain Role in Blue Jays’ Rotation
Despite losing his job late in 2025, Berrios is expecting to begin this year in Toronto’s rotation. The club added Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce in free agency. The Blue Jays also brought back Max Scherzer on an incentive-laden agreement. Kevin Gausman remains at the top of the pitching staff, along with exciting young righty Trey Yesavage.
The Blue Jays are trending toward a six-man rotation with the news that Yesavage will be slow-played heading into the upcoming campaign. He’s yet to appear in a Spring Training game. Toronto is also dealing with injuries to Shane Bieber and Bowden Francis. Bieber is battling a forearm issue and is expected to open the year on the IL. Francis is done for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Blue Jays Get Disappointing News on Embattled Pitcher