Toronto Blue Jays investigating Jose Berrios insurance denial with further medical evaluations
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider spoke to the Media Wednesday morning to inform them that the club is actively looking into exactly why Jose Berrios' insurers would not cover him to play for Puerto Rico in the WBC.
Jose Berrios met with Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins, pitching coach Pete Walker, and John Schneider at the team's player development complex in Dunedin on Wednesday morning.
The meeting came shortly after it was reported that the right-hander would not be able to join Puerto Rico for the quarterfinal round of the tournament.
Berrios had hoped to pitch for his home country but was ultimately not cleared by the tournament's insurers.
The decision stemmed from medical evaluations required for players participating in the event.
José Berrios is dealing with some «different inflammation» now in his throwing elbow. A test for WBC insurance initially showed something, so the #BlueJays did their own MRI. John Schneider stressed that Berrios feels good and will continue throwing, but he won't start today.
Last season, Berrios experienced elbow inflammation, which may have played a role in the insurer's decision, though the exact reason remains unclear.
Schneider said later in the day that the Blue Jays are waiting for more detailed medical information related to the testing Berrios underwent during the insurance review process.
The results of those evaluations could also affect his immediate schedule with the team, including his planned spring training start against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, which would have been his fourth appearance of the spring.
Blue Jays looking into exactly why Berrios was denied insurance coverage
«We're trying to gather as much information as possible from the medical testing he had to complete,» Schneider said from the visiting dugout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. «We want to understand exactly why insurance wasn't approved. For now, we'll collect more details and take things day by day.»
When asked whether Berrios is currently dealing with an injury, Schneider indicated that the pitcher "feels good."
He added that the team is simply awaiting further medical opinions and clarification from the testing results.
Despite the uncertainty, Schneider acknowledged that Berrios was disappointed about missing the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico.
«He really wanted to pitch for his country,» Schneider said. «It means a lot to him. But he understands the situation and is focused on preparing for the season with the Blue Jays.»
Berrios has frequently represented Puerto Rico in international competition, previously appearing in the World Baseball Classic in 2013, 2017, and 2023.
The 31-year-old is coming off a challenging 2025 season in which he posted a 4.17 ERA and a 4.65 FIP over 166 innings.
During the year he spent time both in the bullpen and on the injured list, marking the first time in his career he missed time due to injury.
This spring, Berrios has allowed four runs on eight hits over 10.2 innings while gradually building up his pitch count, reaching 63 pitches in his most recent outing.
If additional testing or imaging leads to further concerns, it could potentially affect Toronto's starting rotation plans heading into the regular season.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 12|66 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays investigating Jose Berrios insurance denial with further medical evaluations Do you think Jose Berrios may have some underlying health issues that caused his insurers to deny him coverage to play in the WBC? | ||
| Yes | 41 | 62.1 % |
| No | 12 | 18.2 % |
| Too early to tell | 13 | 19.7 % |
| List of polls | ||