TORONTO — Two months with the Toronto Blue Jays was sufficient to make Jose Berrios change his thoughts about ready another 12 months to achieve free company.
Berrios finalized a $131 million, seven-year deal to stick with the Blue Jays on Thursday, passing up the chance to change into a free agent subsequent offseason.
A two-time All Star, the 27-year-old right-hander stated his resolution was simplified by getting a short expertise of life in Toronto after the Blue Jays acquired him from Minnesota on July 30.
“That was sufficient to make this resolution due to the best way they handled me, the good welcome they gave me,” Berrios stated. “The best way I spent my final two months of the season right here made it simpler and cozy to make this resolution.”
Berrios went 5-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 12 begins with Toronto, ending 12-9 with a 3.52 ERA. The Blue Jays received 91 video games, ending one victory shy of a tie for a wild card berth within the aggressive AL East.
An invigorated Berrios made it clear he did not wish to fall quick once more in 2022.
“I can promise we will do loads of good issues for town,” he stated. “We’ll have loads of enjoyable.”
Berrios struck out a career-high 204 batters over 192 innings in 2021. He’s 60-47 with a 4.04 ERA in six large league seasons.
Berrios stated his spouse visited him in Toronto after he was traded final summer time, however stated his three youngsters hadn’t visited their new residence till the deal was reached.
“They love town,” he stated. “They ask me each day if we will play tonight.”
Blue Jays common supervisor Ross Atkins stated Berrios has “probably the greatest reputations in baseball,” including the contract represents “a really large second for this group.
“Past that expertise and that competitiveness and execution that you just see on the sector is among the greatest human beings within the sport,” Atkins stated of Berrios. “That’s extraordinarily highly effective for this group, what meaning for gamers who shall be his teammates as we speak and sooner or later.”
Atkins stated the Blue Jays began laying the groundwork for discussions on a brand new contract earlier than the tip of the common season.
“When the season ended, it was one of many first telephone calls we made,” Atkins stated.
Berrios, who’s from Puerto Rico, was taken thirty second total by the Twins within the 2012 novice draft. He has by no means been on the injured listing in his six-year profession, making 32 begins in every of the previous three full seasons.
Atkins praised Berríos for being “as constant as any skilled athlete on the earth.”
“The dependability, the reliability of somebody like José is exceptionally highly effective,” Atkins stated. “We clearly worth that an ideal deal.”
That is the third $100 million-plus deal in Blue Jays historical past and the second in as many winters – Toronto signed outfielder George Springer to a $150 million, six-year contract final offseason.
Nonetheless, Atkins insisted that signing Berrios wouldn’t stop Toronto from pursuing different free brokers, together with left-hander Robbie Ray, who received the AL Cy Younger Award with the Blue Jays this season, and slugging infielder Marcus Semien.
“We’re dedicated to proceed to construct upon that core,” Atkins stated.
Outfielder Vernon Wells and the Blue Jays agreed to a $126 million, seven-year contract in 2006.
By pairing veterans equivalent to Springer and Berrios alongside thrilling younger sluggers Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, Atkins stated the rising Blue Jays have seen a change in the best way they’re perceived amongst free brokers.
“Now we’re feeling like key gamers are courting us as a lot as we’re courting gamers,” Atkins stated.