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Blue Jays' Updated Starting Rotation After Jose Berrios Trade With Twins
July 30, 2021
The Toronto Blue Jays made their big move before the trade deadline Friday, acquiring two-time All-Star Jose Berrios from the Minnesota Twins.
Per an announcement by the Blue Jays, Berrios will join the Toronto starting rotation with top prospects Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson going back to Minnesota.
Berrios' addition should provide a huge boost to a unit that has lacked consistency and depth.
Updated Blue Jays Starting Rotation
No. 1: Hyun Jin Ryu
No. 2: Jose Berrios
No. 3: Robbie Ray
No. 4: Steven Matz
No. 5: Ross Stripling
Injured list: Alex Manoah
The acquisition of Berrios came at a steep price. Martin and Woods Richardson are ranked as top 100 prospects by MLB.com. They are now the second- and third-ranked prospects in the Minnesota farm system.
Regardless of what happens with Martin and Woods Richardson, the Blue Jays made the right move for where they are now: 4.5 games behind the Oakland Athletics for the second wild card in the American League.
Even if Toronto doesn't make the postseason this year, Berrios has one more year of arbitration before his free agency. He solves a major problem with the roster for the rest of this season and in 2022.
The Blue Jays rotation ranks 27th in innings (488), 19th in FIP (4.36) and 27th in homers allowed per nine innings (1.6).
Ray (20 GS, 3.04 ERA) and Ryu (20 GS, 3.26 ERA) are the only pitchers who have made at least 10 starts and have an ERA under 4.58.
Berrios, who was named to the AL All-Star team in 2018 and 2019, has a 3.48 ERA, 3.57 FIP, 1.04 WHIP and 126 strikeouts over 121.2 innings in 20 starts this season.