Blue Jays have an unhappy camper after recent roster shakeup in the rotation

Despite their recent funk, the Toronto Blue Jays finally punched their ticket into the MLB Playoffs on Sunday in a hard-fought 8-5 win over the Kansas City Royals. In securing the victory Jays nation are celebrating the success they have had this season and are happy to see their favorite team back in the postseason after missing out in the action in 2024.

However, not everyone may be as happy with the organizational development in recent days. In particular, it appears as though the Blue Jays have one unhappy camper as a result of their recent roster shakeup. That player is none other than starting pitcher José Berríos.

Blue Jays have an unhappy camper after recent roster shakeup

With his struggles in recent weeks, Blue Jays manager John Schneider made the tough decision to move Berríos to the bullpen for the remainder of the season. For those who recall, a similar situation happened to fan favorite Yusei Kikuchi just three years ago during the stretch run.

Kikuchi was struggling with his command and control for the bulk of the 2022 season but had one thing going which was his strikeout ability. As a result, Kikuchi gracefully accepted his move to the bullpen and ended up doing a little better by striking out his opponents at a rate close to two batters per inning.

However, in this case, Berríos expressed some displeasure in his removal as a starter but accepted the fact it could be best for the team’s interests, according to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.

"Honestly, I don't feel happy to talk about it. But, putting that aside, I put my team first. So, I was able to be out there with my team. That's the way I see it … Obviously, right now, with where the team's at, we need to do our best. And that's the only care I have. To go out there in the bullpen and do my best. I know the team needs it. So, hopefully I can do it." Berríos said.

It’s not like Berríos has had a terrible 2025 season, as on the year, he has compiled a respectable 9-5 record with a 4.06 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, along with 135 strikeouts in 164 innings pitched over 30 starts. However, the right-hander has struggled during the second half of the season, posting a dismal 5.37 ERA, while giving up 45 runs including 13 home runs in just 62 total innings since the beginning of July.

But with fellow Jays starter Chris Bassitt landing on the injured list recently with lower back inflammation and veteran Max Scherzer enduring some struggles of his own, the move of Berríos to the bullpen could eventually be short-lived depending on how things shape out.

Nevertheless, the Jays will hope it will end up helping both the team and getting Berrios’ game back on track.