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Toronto Blue Jays star Jose Berrios has issued an apology for not remaining with the team during their postseason run. The Canadian club finished off the 2025 regular season with the joint-best record in the American League. After polishing off their A.L. opponents in the playoffs, the Blue Jays reached their first World Series since 1993. Berrios, however, was not on the active roster at the time.

After struggling at the end of the 2025 campaign, Toronto manager John Schneider opted to place the pitcher on the injured list. The move was made just nine days before the club played its first playoff game. It seemed as if the decision did not go down well with Berrios at the time. Rather than remain with the team during the impressive run, the star chose not to stick around and went back home.

Berrios addressed the situation while back with his teammates in spring training on February 12. “Last year, I wasn’t there. Whatever happened last year is already in the past,” Berrios told media members, as reported by Sportsnet. “Just maybe one bad decision to go back home to keep working on my rehab and stay close to my family.”

“At that moment, I wasn’t pitching, I wasn’t feeling great, and I wanted to be close to my family. I don’t bring them to Canada because they’re gonna miss days in school. I think of that. But, like I say, I apologize. Maybe I made one bad decision to go back to my home.”

Jose Berrios says he Understands Decision by Toronto Blue Jays Manager

GettyJose Berrios is looking to move on from the bad decision.

Schneider’s decision to shut down Berrios in September came shortly after he moved the typical starter to the bullpen. It was the first time that the pitcher made an MLB relief appearance since 2017. Overall, Berrios went 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 2025. He previously signed a massive seven-year, $131 million extension with the club back in 2021.

Berrios went on to admit that he understood why he was removed from the Blue Jays’ rotation. He also proclaimed that his decision to leave the team in October was because he wanted to spend more time with his family, not due to a feud with Toronto officials. “I think if my kid was not in school, I would’ve stayed there,” continued the pitcher.

Schneider also attempted to ease the situation in Florida. The manager told reporters on February 11 that “it probably could have been handled a little bit differently,” but it has since been handled. Schneider expects Berrios to bounce back after a down 2025 and regain his form moving forward.

Blue Jays Likely to Stick with Berrios in 2026

Berrios has been linked with a move out of Toronto practically all winter. The Blue Jays likely even prefer to trade away the star. His position in the starting rotation was also seemingly put under threat when the team brought in free agents Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce. Nevertheless, Berrios is still owed about $67 million over the next three years, which complicates a potential trade.

Despite the newcomers in the rotation, Berrios essentially received a boost when it was revealed that fellow starter Shane Bieber would open 2026 on the injured list. Berrios will receive ample opportunities this spring to nail down a spot as a Toronto starter.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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