Blue Jays' addition of Berrios has smashed expectations. What's next?

When the Toronto Blue Jays initially acquired Jose Berrios back in 2021, it's fair to say that the fan base didn't respond with overwhelming positivity. However, he has since become a beloved member of the team, and is now exceeding expectations.

Coming from the Minnesota Twins, Berrios first stint with Toronto wasn't stellar. The right-hander compiled a 5-4 record with an ERA of 3.58 and 78 strikeouts in 12 appearances for the Blue Jays in 2021. Despite his contributions, Toronto narrowly missed the postseason by just one game, finishing fourth in the fiercely competitive AL East with 92 wins.


It is not that Blue Jay fans had anything against Berrios in particular, but it is more the situation in which brought him to Canada's team. In exchange for Berrios, the Blue Jays sent over top prospect and the 202 5th overall draft pick Austin Martin to the Twins.

Since joining the team, Berrios has emerged as Toronto's winningest pitcher, amassing a 30-23 record during his tenure with the franchise. He has displayed remarkable consistency, boasting an ERA of 4.15 and tallying 425 strikeouts across 79 appearances for the team.

Meanwhile, the pieces that were sent over to the Twins have yet to pan out into what Blue Jays fans initially has excitement for. Martin finally made his major league debut this week, but he's made just five major league plate appearances, so it is is still very early for him to be compared to Berrios.

After a very rough 2022 season, In 2024, Berrios has started the season impressively, boasting a 2-0 record with a stellar 1.45 ERA across his three starts. He has accumulated 14 strikeouts, with nine of them attributed to his devastating slurve. Berrios has already contributed significantly with a Wins Above Replacement (WAR) metric of 0.9 in 2024 alone. This is in stark contrast to the combined career -0.4 WAR accumulated by the players he was traded for.

The 29-year old has been a staple in the Jays rotation, and it seems that he is only getting better as he spends more time here. Maybe the Prospects will become stars, but they are still far off from the success Berrios has made in his career so far.

We as Toronto Blue Jays fans are happy to have him.

Source: DH - Blue Jays' trade for Berrios has been a surprise smashing success