José Berríos deals in Blue Jays win, helping stabilize Toronto's rotation
ST. LOUIS — The Toronto Blue Jays' rotation has clear holes.
Toronto has trotted out bullpen games for over a month, and Bowden Francis hasn't recorded more than 15 outs in any of his last five starts. For most teams, limited innings from 40 percent of a rotation would plunge a pitching staff into chaos. But the Blue Jays' house is built on three solid rocks — Chris Bassitt, Kevin Gausman and José Berríos. That trio of starters holds the whole staff together.
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'They know exactly what we need from them every single time out,' manager John Schneider said. 'There's going to be nights like this, there's gonna be nights when they're pissed off at me when they come out early. But they're just so good to have.'
The Blue Jays (36-30) used four relievers to cover 4 2/3 innings Sunday against the Minnesota Twins. Mason Fluharty and Braydon Fisher were unavailable for Monday's contest in St. Louis. Erik Swanson was up for emergencies only, and Jeff Hoffman could come in just for save situations. With half the bullpen limited, Toronto needed big innings from Berríos.
A short outing would've spelled disaster. Instead, Berríos threw his fifth straight quality start, delivering 6 2/3 shutout innings. Despite recording just one strikeout, the righty gave Toronto a needed 20 outs. The righty's long start became even more crucial when the St. Louis Cardinals launched a three-run homer in the eighth to take the lead. Jonatan Clase responded with a score-tying homer in the ninth, but Toronto's already thin bullpen dwindled further as the game entered extras.
There weren't many arms left when Alejandro Kirk drove in the Jays' winning run to earn a 5-4 victory, but Berríos' length ensured the Jays had enough.
'What Berríos did today, it stabilizes our bullpen,' Bassitt said. 'Stabilizes our team so we can function normally.'
Berríos has pitched at least six innings in seven of his last eight outings, and Gausman and Bassitt have combined to pitch into the sixth frame in 16 of their last 19. The trio of Toronto veterans each ranks within MLB's top 40 in innings this year, all on pace to surpass 180 innings pitched. The Blue Jays needed Berríos to pitch deep Monday, but there was no need to tell the starter, Schneider said. He already knew.
'I had in mind that I'd try to do my best and try to go far in the game and try to save our bullpen,' Berríos said. 'Nobody said it was going to be easy.'
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The Jays have managed through 40 percent of the season leaning heavily on three starters, but that burden might soon ease. Toronto plans to keep Francis in the rotation, Schneider said, hoping he can rediscover the form he flashed in the back half of 2024. Max Scherzer threw three innings in a simulated game Sunday and is set to make his first formal rehab start Friday. After a second start in Triple A, Scherzer could return to Toronto's rotation.
Spencer Turnbull also joined the Jays' pitching staff in St. Louis. The righty, coming off a 35-day buildup period, is still working through mechanical inefficiencies that have hampered his velocity in minor-league starts. The Blue Jays will lean on Turnbull to ease Eric Lauer's bullpen days, Schneider said, but he could formally join the starting staff eventually.
There's hope for rotation support, but it hasn't appeared yet. For now, the Jays will continue to lean on the rotation rocks to deliver stabilizing starts. Berríos did his part again Monday.
'The way that we're set up,' Bassitt said. 'It's pretty much an absolute necessity that me, Gausman and Berríos have good starts.'
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