The Toronto Blue Jays have Announced Their Starting Pitcher for Opening Day

This will be Berrios' second opening day start for the Blue Jays, his first one came in 2022 where it was not a very successful outing as he allowed 4 runs and recorded only 1 out before being pulled.

Jose Berrios joined the Toronto Blue Jays in a trade from the Minnesota Twins in July 2021, and finished with a solid first season in Toronto. During the 2021 season, Berrios started 13 games for the Blue Jays, pitching to a 3.52 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 77 innings.

In the 2022 season, Berrios was a key asset for the Blue Jays. He maintained his consistency on the mound, starting 32 games and posting a 3.45 ERA with 198 strikeouts in 188.0 innings pitched. Berrios' performances helped the Blue Jays' pitching staff as they battled for postseason contention in a competitive American League East division.

The Blue Jays have decided to go with Berrios since their ace pitcher, Kevin Gausman, has a sore shoulder and will miss at least the first few games to start the season. Gausman has yet to pitch in a game at Spring Training since they rather not rush him back as they want to allow him the time to fully recover for the season.

Right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman has been one of the best pitchers in the Majors over the last two seasons. In 2021, Gausman had a standout year with the San Francisco Giants, emerging as one of the top pitchers in the NL. He started 33 games and recorded an incredible 2.81 ERA with 231 strikeouts in 192 innings pitched. His impressive performance earned him an All-Star selection and got him attention as a Cy Young Award candidate.

Following his successful stint with the Giants, Gausman signed a massive contract with the Toronto Blue Jays for the 2022 season. With the Blue Jays, he continued to excel on the mound, demonstrating his consistency and reliability as a starting pitcher. Gausman started 31 games and posted a 3.37 ERA with 186 strikeouts in 176 innings pitched. His contributions were a key part in the Blue Jays' push for a postseason spot, solidifying his reputation as a top-tier pitcher in MLB as he finished third in Cy Young voting.