Friday Bantering: Jose, Someday
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: José Berríos #17 of the Toronto Blue Jays works pitches a spring training workout at the Toronto Blue Jays' Player Development Complex on February 18, 2026 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images Happy Friday. It’s been a long week in Blue Jays land, and a long week here in Calgary for that matter.
It snowed sideways yesterday, about eight inches. Other Tom is enjoying 21 degrees and cherry blossoms in Tokyo, not that I’m bitter. Anyways, in Jays news, Jose Berrios pitched in Dunedin yesterday.
The surface stats were ugly, five runs on five hits and a walk over 2. 2 with three strikeouts. Some of the pitches that got hit were definitely left way too much out over the plate.
Probably more importantly, though, he was sitting 93 and 94 with his sinker and four seamer, respectively, which is better than he managed last year by about a mile an hour, and was getting all his pitches over. He was allowed to throw 47 pitches, so he’s well into stretching out, but I would imagine we’ll need to see him handle 30+ more pitches and look significantly sharper in a minor league game before he’s back in Toronto, which probably makes early May the target at this point. Tonight will be a big test for how much of a problem the wait is, as Eric Lauer makes his first start since (hopefully) fully recovering from the stomach flu that sapped his stuff and lead him to getting rocked his last two times out.
Tomorrow, we’ll hopefully see Max Scherzer bounce back from a couple of ugly outings as he’s dealt with forearm tendinitis. If one or both can look at least serviceable, the Jays have a hope of getting through this stretch until Trey Yesavage and Berrios make it back. If not, it’s going to be a rough ride.