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$19M QUESTION: CAN BLUE JAYS TRADE JOSE BERRIOS' OPT-OUT CONTRACT?

With the Blue Jays' rotation crowded by Cease and Yesavage, the team must decide to trade Jose Berrios ($19M salary, opt-out) or transition him to the bullpen as planned last season.

$19M Question: Can Blue Jays Trade Jose Berrios' Opt-Out Contract?
Crowded Rotation Forces Berrios Out: Trade or High-Leverage Relief?

What's the plan for José Berríos with the Toronto Blue Jays?

In 2025, the Toronto Blue Jays showed they're a top MLB team. They almost grabbed their first World Series in decades, giving fans plenty of hope. Their rotation includes Trey Yesavage (on a team-friendly deal), strikeout king Dylan Cease, and veteran Kevin Gausman. Plus, they've got Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer hitting, and hopefully Bo Bichette will be back in form.

Toronto's also trying to shore up its bullpen. After that blown save, it's rumoured Jeff Hoffman might not be the closer anymore. Other bullpen arms could step up. Yimi Garcia was hurt last season, limiting him to 22 games. Louis Varland pitched great in relief during the postseason after getting traded.

To shake things up, the Blue Jays might free up a rotation spot, which could also help the bullpen, even if it means a trade or sending someone down.

Back in 2025, the Blue Jays had a bullpen strategy. They got part of it done, but an injury messed up the rest.

MLBTradeRumors reminded everyone that the Blue Jays had a plan before Berrios landed on the injured list.

Mark Polishuk of MLBTradeRumors wrote on November 30, 2025, that Berrios was going to be out of the starting rotation even before his elbow issue kept him out of the playoffs. The Jays wanted to move Berrios to the bullpen before the postseason, but he only made one relief appearance before getting hurt.

This plan came out after a tough loss.

Keegan Matheson posted on X on September 19, 2025, that José Berríos would be in the bullpen going forward. He could still start, but they had talked about it.

With Shane Bieber joining and Yesavage's rise, Berrios and Eric Lauer were likely headed to the bullpen.

So, what should they do with Berrios—keep Berrios or trade him?

The Blue Jays need to decide for 2026: trade Berrios or put him in the bullpen. The bullpen might be the better choice.

Their pitching options are getting crowded. Even with Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt gone, they still have Bowden Francis for the rotation. The team website lists six relievers, making a total of 12 pitchers.

That's 12 out of 13 pitchers before the Cease deal is official.

Sportsnet reported that Berrios said the 2025 season was tougher on him physically. He also lost a bit of speed on his fastballs, so it might be time for a change of role.

His contract also complicates things.

He has a no-trade list with eight teams. Berrios will make $19 million in 2026 and then $24 million in 2027 and 2028. But he can opt out of his contract after 2026.

His salary and no-trade list make trades trickier. But the Blue Jays can find him a new team; it's possible. If they can't trade him, they'll have to move another pitcher somehow.

If Berrios stays with Toronto, he probably won't be in the rotation.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES TRADE JAREN JACKSON JR. TO UTAH JAZZ IN 8-PLAYER BLOCKBUSTER

The Memphis Grizzlies have traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, creating a record $28.8 million trade exception for 2026.

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Grizzlies finalise Jaren Jackson Jr. deal

The Memphis Grizzlies turned heads on Tuesday, pulling off a blockbuster trade that sent two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr to the Utah Jazz. Along with Jackson, the Grizzlies shipped out Vince Williams Jr, John Konchar, and Jock Landale. Coming back their way: Walter Clayton Jr, Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, and, maybe the most important part, three future first-round picks.

And honestly, it feels like Memphis isn’t done stirring the pot. Inside the organisation, they see Zach Edey and Cedric Coward as the future. Both went late in the lottery in the past two drafts, and the Grizzlies landed some value in the second round this year, too, grabbing Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.

All this movement means Ja Morant’s future in Memphis suddenly looks shaky. He’s been the face of the franchise since they took him No. 2 overall back in 2019. When he’s healthy, he’s electric—no question. But injuries and off-court drama have slowed him down, and now, with the trade deadline closing in, the Grizzlies are openly shopping him. Teams around the league are watching.

There’s another wrinkle here: by dealing Jackson, Memphis created a massive trade exception—$28.8 million, the biggest in NBA history, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania. It’s a huge chess piece. With that exception, the Grizzlies can absorb big, ugly contracts from other teams in exchange for more draft picks. Think of what the Thunder did a few years back—stockpiling picks by taking on bad deals until they rebuilt into a contender.

Now, you’ve probably heard Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name floating around in trade rumours. He hasn’t officially asked out of Milwaukee, but everyone in the league expects something to happen soon. Teams like the Timberwolves and Knicks are circling. The Grizzlies? They’re not likely to chase Giannis directly. But with that trade exception, they could play a big role as a third team—taking on salary dumps or unwanted contracts, collecting more picks, and helping another franchise pull off the Giannis blockbuster. Memphis just put itself squarely in the middle of the NBA’s hottest rumour.

KLINT KUBIAK SNUBS NFL RIVALS TO LEAD RAIDERS’ NEW ERA UNDER TOM BRADY

The Las Vegas Raiders are zeroing in on Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak as their next head coach, with Tom Brady leading the search.

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Klint Kubiak is set for the Raiders as Seahawks coach faces the New England Patriots

The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of a huge shakeup right now. Klint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, is set to become their new head coach—and honestly, he’s nothing like Pete Carroll.

Kubiak’s still in his 30s, calling plays on offence, while Carroll just wrapped up last season as the NFL’s oldest head coach. The Raiders had their eyes on Ben Johnson previous year, but when he decided to take the Bears job, they turned to Carroll instead.

This time, Las Vegas seemed to have that same level of interest in Kubiak, but they had to wait things out because Seattle was still in the playoffs. Tom Brady, who’s a minority owner with the Raiders, clearly played a big part in picking the new coach.

Since nothing’s official until after the Super Bowl, Brady can’t come right out and talk about Kubiak joining the team. Still, he didn’t hold back when it came to sharing what he liked about the guy.

“Klint’s played to his team’s strengths. Last week, he did a ton of good things against a really strong Rams defence,” Brady said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “That’s what it took for them to win. The Rams are a tough team. That game in Seattle could’ve gone either way... Seattle really had to play a complete game in all three phases to pull it out, and they’ll need to do the same this weekend in Santa Clara.”

Brady also talked about Fernando Mendoza.

Another big reason the Raiders’ coaching job is so appealing? They’ve got the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Everyone expects them to grab Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Brady doesn’t have to be secretive about it—nobody’s jumping ahead of them in the draft. He was pretty open about how much he likes Mendoza.

“What do I value most? When I see him, he’s always talking up his teammates. He wins the Heisman, and he’s giving credit to everyone else,” Brady said. “That’s the kind of attitude you want in a leader.”

Kubiak focused on the Super Bowl, not the job switch.

Kubiak’s career is about to take off, but right now, he’s locked in on trying to win his first Super Bowl. So, he isn’t ready to talk about the Raiders just yet.

“I’m coaching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and that’s all I’m thinking about,” Kubiak told reporters on Monday. “I’m just excited for this week and this game.”

Not everyone in Seattle is thrilled to see Kubiak go. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had nothing but praise after working with him this year.

“He was unbelievable,” Darnold said Monday. “The stuff I picked up from Klint—just with schemes, and then learning from him as a coach and a person—the grit. He’s up before the sun, gets to the facility at 4 or 4:30, and leaves later than anyone. The guy just grinds. He loves football, and he’s always straight with his players. I know I really appreciated that, and so did the rest of the guys.”

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