TORONTO — What should have been a bounce-back year for José Berríos instead turned into one of the most frustrating chapters of his career — and now the right-hander is revealing the hidden truth behind his disappointing 2025 campaign in a way fans and analysts never fully saw coming. The revelation has sent ripples through Toronto Blue Jays camp as the team prepares for the 2026 season, with managers and teammates alike holding their breath on whether their veteran arm can truly regain top form.

When Berríos took the mound this week in spring training — his first action since being shut down with elbow inflammation in September — what he said afterward grabbed headlines not just for what it revealed about this year, but what it implied about last. “Honestly, last year, at this time, I had doubt in my mind already,” Berríos admitted to reporters following roughly 2.2 innings against the New York Mets. The comment, casually dropped as he discussed his first outing of camp, was quietly explosive: Berríos revealed he wasn’t pitching at full strength last Spring Training before the struggles and final shutdown that defined his 2025 season.

Now 31 and one of Toronto’s most stable rotation pieces for years, Berríos has built a reputation as a durable innings-eater. Before last season, he had thrown 30 or more starts in six of the previous seven full seasons. But in 2025, the veteran weathered a painful biceps tendon issue that went undiagnosed until an MRI in September. He soldiered on, made 30 total appearances, but saw his ERA balloon after the All-Star break and was eventually moved out of the rotation and relegated to the bullpen late in the year. Eventually, he landed on the injured list — the first of his career.

That sequence of events — known to fans and analysts — takes on new meaning in light of Berríos’ own admission. He wasn’t just dealing with discomfort late in the season, he was never fully right, literally from the ground up. “Everything was new for me,” Berríos said, describing what forced him to constantly adjust his mechanics. “I never saw myself (not pitching), so that’s why I kept trying to fight and compete with my team.” The candid confession paints a portrait of a competitor battling through pain — and masking it — even as his effectiveness eroded.

The implications are significant for a Blue Jays rotation already navigating uncertainty. With ace Shane Bieber still on the mend from forearm issues and key contributors like Bo Bichette absent at times, having Berríos back at full health could be a critical piece of Toronto’s push toward the playoffs. But the cautious tone in his remarks — acknowledging that he was battling something last spring that he previously never disclosed — also raises questions about how the club manages his workload and how deep into the season he can sustain effectiveness.

Manager John Schneider chose measured optimism in response, reminding reporters that Berríos has long experience and knows his own body. “If there was ever a point we didn’t feel safe or feel good about him throwing, we wouldn’t have,” Schneider said, stressing confidence in the 31-year-old’s recovery and readiness. Still, the admission once again puts a spotlight on how last season ended — with Berríos omitted from the postseason roster entirely, a stunning development for a pitcher who had been a centerpiece of the rotation since joining the Jays.

Berríos’ 2026 spring outing was promising: he allowed two earned runs, struck out two, and logged nearly 50 pitches without obvious discomfort. He even spoke of feeling “pretty healthy, pretty strong,” a stark contrast to the nagging doubts that clouded last year’s preparation. But for a fanbase keenly aware of how much Toronto needs a reliable No. 5 starter — especially with Bieber on a delayed build-up — that hope is still tempered with uncertainty.

The numbers behind Berríos’ recent performance illustrate the stakes. In 2025 he posted a 4.17 ERA across 166 innings — his lowest workload since 2017 — and experienced a second straight season of regression in key metrics that had defined his success earlier in his career. With the Blue Jays having added rotation depth in the offseason, Berríos’ role could be fluid — starting, long relief, or a hybrid depending on health and results.

Yet his personal candor is something rarely seen among established starters. It not only revealed the physical battle he waged last year, but suggested a mental toll as well — carrying discomfort into games while trying to meet expectations. That willingness to speak openly about his doubts may endear him further to teammates and fans alike, even as it underscores the fragility of a rotation that can’t afford another misstep.

As the Blue Jays continue their Grapefruit League schedule and edge closer to Opening Day, all eyes will be on Berríos — not just on how hard he throws, but what his body can hold up to over six innings once the regular season begins. Whether his startling admissions become a turning point or a warning sign remains one of baseball’s most compelling stories heading into 2026.