KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jose Berrios’ appearance in the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen on Friday night wasn’t merely circumstantial, as manager John Schneider said the opening day starter will be a relief option through the weekend and “going forward.”Schneider made the revelation after a 20-1 beatdown from the Kansas City Royals, during which Max Scherzer didn’t make it out of a 45-pitch, seven-run first inning in the shortest, non-injury start of his decorated career.That left the Blue Jays scrambling to cover 7.1 innings with a taxed bullpen, with Berrios loosening up there during the middle innings.While he didn’t get into the game, Schneider said the 31-year-old, who’s made at least 30 starts in the last seven full seasons and all 12 during the pandemic campaign of 2020, is “an option if we need him on days like today.”“He can still start for us,” added Schneider. “But with where we are right now, he can be an option out of the ‘pen, too.”Berrios gave up three runs in four innings during his most recent start Tuesday at the Tampa Bay Rays, when he didn’t strike out a single batter. The average velocity on both his fastball and sinker is down a shade over one m.p.h. from last season and during a Sept. 13 interview, he conceded that this season has been more physically taxing on him than other years.“Maybe because I’m 31 years old now and I’m starting to feel some different things,” he said. “But thank God I’ve been able to take the ball and go out there and pitch, nothing like, ‘Oh, I can’t pitch today,’ or I have to stay out for two weeks or a month. We learn every day.”Asked where he was feeling taxed, he replied, “everywhere, all my body.”“I think it’s more mentally than physically tired, the way we have been dealing with stuff,” he continued. “The only thing I worry about is being here for my teammates with positivity and just bringing a lot of energy.”Schneider said he “had a long talk” with Berrios in recent days and described the right-hander as “a professional,” while adding that making the switch was “not comfortable.”But with the Blue Jays trying to lock down the American League East and a wild-card bye, “the position that we’re in now, we’ve said it before, warrants some tough conversations at times and I feel like we just are trying to do what we can to win as many games as we can.”Schneider had to have similar conversations with Eric Lauer when the lefty was moved to the bullpen shortly after Shane Bieber joined the club, and again when prospect Trey Yesavage was inserted into the rotation.Lauer put the team first, which is what Berrios is being asked to do now, too.“There’s a reason Jose Berrios is Jose Berrios,” said Schneider. “As uncomfortable as it is, I think he gets it. It’s kind of where we are right now.”