Jays land one of the best starters in baseball Berrios from Twins for two top prospects
Author of the article:
Ryan WolstatPublishing date:
Jul 30, 2021 • 14 minutes ago • 4 minute read • 5 Comments
Jose Berrios of the Minnesota Twins pitches in the second inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Target Field on July 24, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minn. Photo by Stephen Maturen /Getty Images Article content The Toronto Blue Jays currently sit fourth in the American League East, but clearly the organization believes in this team.
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Article contentOtherwise the Jays would not have dealt Austin Martin and Simeon Woods-Richardson ahead of Friday’s MLB trade deadline to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for solid right-handed starter Jose Berrios.
Berrios has gone 7-5 with a 3.48 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 121.2 innings this season. He was an all-star in 2018 and 2019, is posting a career-best strikeout-to-walks ratio and is 55-43 with a 4.08 ERA over his six-year career.
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Baseball America ranked Martin, the fifth pick of the 2020 draft, as Toronto’s top prospect and Woods-Richardson, who was the key to the return in the Marcus Stroman deal a few years ago, as No. 4.
Jays manager Charlie Montoyo was excited to add Berrios to the top of his rotation alongside Hyun Jin Ryu and Robbie Ray.
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Article content“A guy like Berrios, he’s one of the best starters in baseball and now we’ve got control over him for next year too. Getting him for this year and next year, that’s just a great move in my opinion,†he said.
“Of course we gave up good players, but Berrios is 27 years old and he’s a really, really good starter.â€
Montoyo said the team will work to get Berrios to Toronto and then figure out the rotation from there (Steven Matz or Ross Stripling could move to the bullpen). General manager Ross Atkins said Berrios should be in Toronto sometime Saturday and would likely take the hill soon (he had previously been scheduled to start for Minnesota Friday).
The deal came after the Jays had earlier added three-time all-star closer Brad Hand for catcher Riley Adams. Toronto also dealt for veteran reliever Joakim Soria, in exchange for two players to be named later.
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Article contentMontoyo said his team has been energized by the moves as it mounts a push for a wild card spot.
“The players feel it. I think coming here (back to Toronto for the first time since 2019), making those trades, it feels like everyone is going to be happy,†he said.
Reliever Ryan Borucki said Hand, Soria and Berrios have “been there, done that†so will bring valuable experience. Hand is in his 11th season, Soria his 14th.
Atkins said he likes that both throw a lot of strikes, are durable and added Hand, who the team tried to land in the off-season, is even throwing harder this year.
Atkins said the bullpen has taken a lot of heat for its down stretches, but part of the issues stemmed from the starters not getting deep enough into games.
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Article contentThis move helps that … Berrios, who has led the league in complete games in the past and is a workhorse, “is someone that has gotten deep into games pretty routinely and that takes some stress off,†Atkins said.
“It was important for us to acquire pitching in some way if it were possible, and it wasn’t the best market to be in for starting pitching. But we were fortunate to have the talent (in the farm system) to be able to acquire (Berrios).â€
It has been a whirlwind for Hand, who was on the field with the Jays for their homecoming Friday and said Montoyo told him he’d work anytime from the seventh and ninth innings when the Jays have the lead.
He was called upon last night and made his debut in the eighth inning, allowing hits and one unearned run, on a play in which the Jays forgot to cover home plate.
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Article contentWashington has had a full-scale teardown of a former contender.
Hand sounded happy about where he ended up.
“It’s a good group of guys. Younger team. A lot of excitement. It’s going to be a fun experience for me,†he said.
Hand also had a positive scouting report on Berrios.
“I spent two, two and a half years in Cleveland, so I saw him a lot in Minnesota. He’s a great pitcher, a guy that can really can carry a pitching staff at times,†Hand said.
“That was a big ad to get here, so we’re excited.â€
Division rivals New York, Boston and Tampa Bay also made impact additions and 10 2021 all-stars were dealt in all as a trade frenzy took over MLB. The American League East should be a dogfight, as should the chase for the other playoff spots.
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Article content“The AL East and a bunch of teams that also made some good moves,†Hand said. “You’re going to have your work cut out for you whatever division, but I think the guys they brought in the group that they already had here, I think that we’ll put up a good fight.â€
It doesn’t hurt that the team is getting another huge jolt in the arm with its return to Toronto.
“Just coming to Toronto, it feels like we’ve made a trade,†Montoyo said.
“That type of fan support we’re going to get is going to be awesome. This is our home. We haven’t been here in two years. And of course the move we made today (Berrios) is going to give us some momentum.â€
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