The window for the Blue Jays to trade Jose Berrios is closing because the no-trade clause is about to come into effect and Toronto’s front office is under pressure to act immediately this winter. Berrios remains a reliable and durable pitcher, having made at least 30 games each season since 2018, however, his performance has declined this past year with a strikeout rate falling to 19.6% and his fastball barely reaching 93mph, the lowest of his entire MLB career.
On the other hand, for the Yankees, a team that has problems in its starting rotation with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, Berrios represents an immediate solution for New York, being the ideal reinforcement due to his history of 234 starts and more than 1,267 innings pitched in eight years.
The perfect trade proposal: Spencer Jones and Kyle Carr in the negotiation
The deal would allow the Yankees to receive Berrios, while the Blue Jays would get prospect Spencer Jones, New York’s fourth-best talent, and up-and-coming left-hander Kyle Carr, in a trade that would benefit both MLB franchises. Jones hit 35 home runs in Double-A last season, but the Bronx Bombers have talent in the outfield with Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham, so they could sacrifice him to get benefits in a position that suffers from injuries.
On the other hand, Kyle Carr is a young left-handed pitcher who moved up five spots in the prospects after pitching 101 innings with an ERA of 2.23, so his hypothetical arrival would add youth, control and projection to a system that needs arms to stay at the top of the American League, of which they are the current champions.
Toronto Blue Jays face internal dilemma with Jose Berrios
The internal context of the Toronto Blue Jays pushes this decision, as Berrios was removed from the starting rotation in September 2025, he was not even on the postseason roster, leaving the team before the World Series they lost in an agonizing game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In addition to Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage are the pitchers projected as starters for the 2026 season so Berrios would not have a place in the rotation, so making a trade would avoid the clause to prevent him from being moved to another franchise and thus free up salary in the organization.
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