Berríos to undergo MRI after experiencing elbow soreness, decreased velocity

ST. PETERSBURG -- Right-handed starter José Berríos will undergo an MRI on his right elbow Tuesday night after he disclosed to coaches that he was feeling a little more sore than usual in the wake of his rough rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo on Sunday.

Berríos received hugs and handshakes from his teammates once he arrived in the visitors' clubhouse at Tropicana Field in the afternoon. He was there to map out the next steps in his recovery from a right elbow stress fracture suffered during Spring Training. But that’s on hold for now.

Berríos, who was initially diagnosed with right elbow inflammation on March 12 that kept him from pitching for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, has posted a 10.67 ERA over his four rehab starts. In his most recent start, he allowed seven earned runs and three homers over 3 2/3 innings while displaying decreased velocity.

Manager John Schneider said the team is “crossing our fingers” for good news.

“He knows himself really well, and it's been so weird -- from offseason to getting ready for the WBC and then kind of having a setback, and then you ramp back up,” Schneider said of Berríos. “The hope is that it's just kind of like that dead-arm phase, where he had more velo in Spring Training and all of a sudden, it's not there.”

Given the uncertainty surrounding Berríos, Schneider said he’s “pretty sure” left-hander Eric Lauer will get at least one more turn through the rotation. Lauer gave up three runs after his first eight pitches in Monday’s 5-1 loss to the Rays. But he got locked in from there, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters he faced and keeping the Rays off the scoreboard until he departed with one out in the fifth.

That’s the kind of Lauer the Blue Jays want to see from the first pitch moving forward.

“I know [pitching coach Pete Walker] talked to him today,” Schneider said. “It's just kind of whatever mentality you had going forward after the first, that's got to be there in the first. Whether it's mentality, stuff, whatever, get after it from the get-go and just go as long as you can.”

Opposing batters have a .308/.357/.692 slash line through 28 plate appearances against Lauer in the first inning this season.