Blue Jays tab Berrios as Opening Day starter
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The Toronto Blue Jays announced Tuesday that right-hander Jose Berrios will start Opening Day next week against the Tampa Bay Rays.
This means Kevin Gausman, who was sidelined earlier this spring by a shoulder injury, will not get the ball to begin the season.
Berrios has started four games so far this spring, allowing five runs (two earned) over 13.0 innings of work with 13 hits, two walks, and two hits batsmen.
“He embodies what we’re talking about when we talk about stuff, durability, teammate, professionalism. I was thrilled to give him that news this morning," manager John Schneider told reporters Tuesday morning.
Heading into his third full season with the Blue Jays, Berrios was 11-12 with a 3.65 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 189.2 innings pitched spread out over 32 starts. Berrios was also Toronto's Opening Day starter in 2022, but recorded just one out and allowed four earned runs against the Texas Rangers.
Gausman would likely have been the choice for the opener had he not been sidelined by his shoulder injury. The 33-year-old was 12-9 with a 3.19 ERA and a league-best 237 strikeouts in 185.0 innings pitched last season.
He threw a simulated inning over the weekend but has not yet appeared in a spring training game.
Romano, Swanson battling arm injuries
Blue Jays relievers Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson are each dealing with arm injuries and had MRIs, manager John Schneider told reporters Tuesday.
Romano is battling right-elbow inflammation and will have an anti-inflammatory injection. His MRI came back clean, Schneider said.
Swanson is dealing with right forearm rightness and will take a few days off from throwing. Schneider said an MRI showed no injury or inflammation.