A perfect example of why fans can't overreact to the Blue Jays’ Opening Day roster

As we approach Opening Day, the Toronto Blue Jays are closer to solidifying their initial roster ahead of a vitally important season. As important as it is to get off to a good start with the right personnel, a look at some of the players who made the Opening Day roster in 2025 provides us with a reminder that it’s not the end-all and be-all. Five of the six players, all pitchers, were left off the postseason roster (none were on the World Series roster), and three of those weren’t even in the organization by that time. 

Fans can't overreact to the Blue Jays’ Opening Day roster

José Berríos was the Opening Day starter, and he was supported by Richard Lovelady, Jacob Barnes, Chad Green, Yariel Rodriguez, and Nick Sandlin. Those half-dozen hurlers were expected to be a big part of Toronto’s staff last season, but a mixture of injuries and ineffectiveness led to short stints with the team for some, and being left off the postseason or World Series for others. 

Lovelady was the first casualty. After getting a couple of outs in his Blue Jays debut, the lefty had a rough outing two days later, surrendering four earned runs in one inning in a loss to the Baltimore Orioles. That was enough for the front office to release the veteran, who signed with the New York Mets a few days later.

Barnes was a somewhat surprising addition to the Opening Day roster, and he didn’t last much longer than Lovelady. After a disastrous appearance against the Seattle Mariners on April 19th, the journeyman was sent packing. He signed a minor-league deal and struggled at the Triple-A level with the Buffalo Bisons before being released in August. 

Green was seen as a useful addition to the bullpen when he signed as a free agent before the 2023 season. Unfortunately, he missed most of that season recovering from Tommy John surgery. After a solid 2024 campaign (3.21 ERA, 17 saves), the wheels fell off for the longtime Yankees right-hander, as he gave up 14 homers and had a 5.56 ERA over 43.2 innings before being let go in August. 

Berríos was having a fine season through June, but he appeared to run out of gas as the season wore on. After pitching to a 3.26 ERA over his first 17 starts, the Puerto Rico native slumped to a 5.63 ERA over his final 14 games before hitting the IL for the first time in his career and being left off the postseason roster. 

Similarly, Rodriguez had a strong first half (2.47 ERA) before faltering down the stretch (4.21 second-half ERA) and being outside the circle of trust during the playoff run. 

Fortunately, as these pitchers declined, other arms like Mason Fluharty, Braydon Fisher, and Brendon Little stepped up in high-leverage roles, and the bullpen also improved with the arrival of trade acquisition Louis Varland. With that quartet in tow, plus prized free-agent Tyler Rogers, the Blue Jays are in a much better spot entering the 2026 season.