DUNEDIN, Fla. — There are not many players who carry as solid a reputation as Jose Berrios. He’s among the hardest workers you’ll find on the baseball field and is someone you won’t hear complain or exhibit a shred of negativity.
The right-hander is the definition of a pillar and that was highlighted on Tuesday when the Blue Jays named him their Opening Day starter. Berrios will face right-hander Zach Eflin and the Tampa Bay Rays on March 28 as the Blue Jays begin their regular season at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
“He embodies what we're talking about when we're talking about stuff, durability, teammate, professionalism,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “Thrilled to give him that news this morning.”
Berrios, who signed a seven-year, $131-million extension with the Blue Jays in 2021, enjoyed a strong rebound last year to the tune of a 3.65 ERA over 32 starts and 189.2 innings. He’s carried over that success this spring, allowing just two earned runs over his four Grapefruit League starts.
The native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, earned the Opening Day nod in 2022 for the Blue Jays but recorded just one out while allowing four runs to the Texas Rangers in that contest at Rogers Centre. The experience hasn’t left his mind.
“It's good I have an opportunity to throw that first day of the season,” Berrios said. “This is my fourth [career Opening Day start] and second with the Blue Jays. I want to do better than the one I did before with the Blue Jays. That's the plan. It's my goal.
“It's an honour,” he continued. “A pleasure. I'm so happy. I know my family’s happy. Teammates — they’re happy [too].”
Count rotation-mate Chris Bassitt as one such player.
“He’s awesome,” Bassitt said on Tuesday. “A-plus across the board. Works hard. Does everything right.”
For Berrios, being a good teammate is something he takes pride in.
“It means a lot to me,” he said. “First of all, we have to create a good relationship, a good chemistry, and then that way you can go out there and compete … I think everything starts in the clubhouse.”
The Blue Jays’ decision to hand Berrios the ball was made simpler by the club’s current rotation outlook. Ace Kevin Gausman, who finished third in American League Cy Young voting last season, was the frontrunner but he’s been dealing with shoulder fatigue this spring.
Both Gausman and Manoah, who is also working through a right shoulder issue, are unlikely to be ready for the season-opening series.
Manoah will throw a bullpen at the club’s player development complex on Tuesday and if that goes well, he’ll progress to facing live hitters later this week. Gausman, who’s further along in his recovery, is scheduled to throw a two-inning simulated game on Wednesday. The expectation is that the veteran tosses around 40 pitches and if he feels well after that, Gausman could potentially take the mound in one of the Blue Jays’ final Grapefruit League games.
BACKEND BULLPEN DUO SIDELINED
The Blue Jays bullpen has suddenly been thrust into uncertainty with Tuesday’s news that closer Jordan Romano and setup man Erik Swanson are dealing with right arm issues.
Schneider told media prior to the Blue Jays’ 13-8 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at TD Ballpark that Romano is dealing with right elbow inflammation. He underwent an MRI that showed no structural concerns and will receive an anti-inflammatory injection in his elbow on Tuesday. The plan is for Romano — whose 72 saves over the past two seasons rank second in MLB — to rest for three days before he resumes throwing.
“Just some soreness,” said Schneider. “He was still throwing. But this time of year just being careful. And we wanted to do that for him and with him. It wasn't like he was saying, ‘Ouch,’ or anything. It just wasn't bouncing back and feeling great.”
Swanson, meanwhile, is dealing with right forearm tightness and also underwent an MRI that came back with no injury or inflammation. The reliever has endured a difficult spring training — last month his four-year-old son, Toby, spent time in the hospital after being struck by a vehicle.
“[Swanson] was here early and ramped up pretty well and then had a five- or six-day layoff and then back at it,” said Schneider. “So, I think [the arm issue is] kind of a byproduct of that back and forth a little bit. But we got a week left [to] see how he bounces back and go from there.”
Swanson last pitched Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He tossed 20 pitches in the outing and didn’t feel good afterward. The plan is to give him a few days off from throwing.
The right-hander posted a 2.97 ERA with 75 strikeouts over 66.2 innings last season.
With spring training wrapping up next week, this is obviously an inopportune time for the Blue Jays to be dealing with injuries to two of their best relievers. There’s hope that one or both could return by Opening Day, but given that Romano and Swanson would need to build back up following their shutdowns, that could prove difficult.
Should the Blue Jays need to rely on depth to fill out the bullpen at the beginning of the season, Schneider listed right-handers Nate Pearson and Zach Pop and left-hander Brendon Little as options.
VOTTO DAY-TO-DAY
First baseman Joey Votto is day-to-day after injuring his right ankle when he stepped on a bat in the dugout on the weekend. The 40-year-old Canadian, who’s in camp on a minor-league contract, homered on the first pitch he saw in his Grapefruit League debut Sunday but suffered the mishap just minutes later.
The Blue Jays don’t have a timeline for when Votto will be back on the field.
“He’s moving around Okay,” said Schneider. “But it's just going to be day-to-day with some treatment and just talk to him as each day goes to see how he's feeling.”
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