Toronto Blue Jays admit feud with player could have been dealt with 'differently'

If Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jose Berrios had a chance to do things over, he would likely change how he handled himself in last year's postseason.

Berrios, who struggled down the stretch of the 2025 season, wound up being relegated to a bullpen role before being kept off the playoff roster due to injury. He clearly felt as though he was healthy enough to pitch, and wasn't very happy with how things played out.

The 31-year-old chose not to be with his teammates during their World Series run, seeming to suggest that his time with the Blue Jays may be coming to an end.

As spring training nears, however, Berrios remains with the Jays.

Speaking with reporters yesterday, manager John Schneider said the two sides have handled things internally but admitted that both the team and Berrios himself should have approached it differently from the beginning.

"I think Jose realizes that it probably could have been handled a little bit differently - on everyone's end, really," Schneider said. "Looking back, I wish that we did things a little bit differently, and I'm sure he does as well. But he's the normal Jose that's coming in ready. 

"He's had conversations with guys that he needed to have conversations with. And we just want to put that behind us."

After he was removed from the Blue Jays rotation and finished the season on the IL, Jose Berrios chose not to be with the club during the World Series.

Today, manager John Schneider said the situation has been handled internally: pic.twitter.com/EghraJlvcE

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) February 10, 2026

Berrios' role with the Jays is a little bit unclear at this point in time. The Jays have the likes of Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and Shane Bieber pencilled in as starters. They also signed both Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, leaving many to believe Berrios would be the odd man out.

That may no longer be the case, however, as Bieber isn't expected to be ready to begin the season due to forearm fatigue. That injury could, in theory, result in Berrios beginning 2026 in the Blue Jays' starting rotation. Once Bieber is healthy, however, there are sure to be plenty of questions that arise once again.