Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios was tested this season. The pitcher was recently moved to the bullpen, just a few weeks shy of the regular season coming to a close, a move from his normal spot in the rotation. This move may have long-term implications and may affect his career, especially in Toronto.
Berrios, a two-time All-Star, has been with the Blue Jays since the club acquired him from the Minnesota Twins at the 2021 trade deadline. He signed a lengthy contract in 2022 worth seven years, $131 million, inking him to a long-term contract a year before he was slated to test the open market. His addition to the Blue Jays’ rotation was valuable as the team pursued multiple winning seasons and postseason opportunities.
The right-hander went on a recent slide while competing in a very talented Blue Jays rotation. From here, his starter reliability became questionable, and his role was reconsidered.
Where did Berrios fall?
July was the pinpoint start of the Berrios decline. This decline stint began on July 2nd up until August 17th specifically. His ERA spiked to 5.68 with a 5.92 FIP within 44 innings of work. Quality innings went down, and his struggles continued.
Berrios became hittable and was figured out by most lineups. His home run allowance went up, as well as his runs allowed per inning (RA/9). His HR/9 settled at 1.4, but has been up to 2.03. Berrios’ RA/9 finished at 4.66.
The Puerto Rican product allowed 26 home runs this season, along with 77 earned runs on 160 hits. The stuff Berrios would bring to the table was not there, and this forced the hands of Blue Jays management to put him in a relief role before he eventually finished the year on the IL, his first stint on the sidelines in his big league career.
What does this imply for the future of the right-handed pitcher?
His move to the bullpen is tactical and a response to the situation at hand. The Jays are in a postseason situation, and Berrios’ reaction to some of his exposed scenarios is not what the team needs at this moment.
Berrios is locked up until 2028, but he has an opt-out clause following next season, which could make sense for him to test the open market, and could be detrimental for the Blue Jays, who are slated to lose Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer, and Kevin Gausman within the next two campaigns. Berrios will return to the rotation next year, but he was upset with the move to the bullpen to finish off this season, which could have impacted relations moving forward. By opting out, Berrios would be leaving $48 million on the table ($24 AAV).
For the first time as a Blue Jay, José Berríos enters the game out of the bullpen.
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The benefit of having Berrios on the books til 2028 is guaranteeing at least one familiar face in the rotation moving forward, especially with Alek Manoah being recently DFA’d. While the likes of Trey Yesavage and Bowden Francis, along with other prospects, will be trying to fill the holes left by potential departures this winter and beyond, Berrios being kept around is that security blanket the Jays may want to have in their back pocket. They could also look at trade opportunities, but who knows where his value sits right now.
Regardless, Berrios’s current role is in the bullpen until otherwise noted, before he likely transitions back to the starting role next year. Whether this move had any impact on his long-term plan to stay with the Jays is to be determined, and that question will have to be answered at some point next year.