For the first time in his MLB career, a multi-time All-Star pitcher has been reassigned to the bullpen.
Toronto Blue Jays righty Jose Berrios is set to come out of the bullpen for the team moving forward. Blue Jays manager John Schneider made that revelation after Friday’s loss to the Kansas City Royals.
“He’s a professional,” Schneider said of Berrios, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “There’s a reason Jose Berrios is Jose Berrios. As uncomfortable as it is, I think he gets it. That’s kind of where we are right now.”
Schneider did also note though that Berrios could still potentially draw a start for the Blue Jays.
Berrios, a two-time All-Star at 31 years old, has not really had it this season for Toronto. While he has a 9-5 record on the year over 30 starts, Berrios’ other numbers (a 4.06 ERA to go along with a 1.29 WHIP and just 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings) have been very underwhelming.
Meanwhile, Berrios has started in 273 of 274 career MLB appearances thus far (with his lone appearance out of the bullpen coming in his final game of the regular season for the 2017 Minnesota Twins as a playoff tune-up). It is also a surprising new role for Berrios given that he is making $19 million this season as part of a large seven-year, $131 million contract with the Blue Jays.
But Toronto, on the verge of clinching the AL East division title, is a bit stronger in the rotation these days given Shane Bieber’s return from injury last month and the emergence of rookie phenom Trey Yesavage. The decision to move Berrios to the pen also comes after one of the Blue Jays’ “relievers” just pitched one of the very worst games in MLB history.
