The Toronto Blue Jays made headlines Friday afternoon when they traded for Twins ace Jose Berrios. The team has been linked to the right-hander for months now and it finally happened. Going back to the Twin Cities are coveted prospects, Austin Martin (Jays #2, 16 overall) and Simeon Woods-Richardson (Jays #4, 68 overall).
I first heard about the trade during lunch hour, listening to sports radio in the car. At first, all I heard was “Blue Jays land pitcher Jose Berrios for a package that includes pitching prospect Simeon Woods-Richardson”. All right I thought, this is the guy we wanted!
Jose Berrios was an amazing athlete to work with. He worked so hard on the field and off. Thanks for the memories! Good luck in Toronto. #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/Mt8DqCFUAc
— Dustin Morse (@morsecode) July 30, 2021
A few moments later, when I discovered that Martin was also included, I was less thrilled. My mantra was to get good players, or in this case player, good players, or prospects, must be surrendered. This is something that I’ve always understood, but the return in this trade seems exorbitant.
The Market Dictates Price
The pack of prospects traded in the Joey Gallo trade, for example, had more quantity but less quality. Texas received the Yankees’ 14th, 15th, 23rd, and 28th best prospects, none of which is in the top 100 overall. The Bronx Bombers were also able to land Anthony Rizzo from the Cubs despite a questionable remittance.
Anthony Rizzo’s a Cub forever. Never should’ve worn another jersey. pic.twitter.com/Mrze6w0r1L
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) July 30, 2021
The thing is pitchers, especially starting pitchers, demand a higher return. Yes, the Dodgers “won the deadline” with their blockbuster acquisition of Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, but it wasn’t cheap. They gave up their top two prospects, pitcher Josiah Gray and Keibert Ruiz. Both players are considered to be close to major-league ready.
The Dodgers seeing the Padres trying to trade for Max Scherzer pic.twitter.com/SeAHyEqP88
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) July 30, 2021
The Jays gave up two prospects that have star potential but aren’t expected to make their MLB debuts until 2022 at the earliest. They also are getting Berrios not just for this stretch run, but for next season as well.
What They Gave Up
Martin, who slipped to the Jays in the 2020 draft is a versatile player who has played both shortstop and centrefield. He’s considered one of the best hitters of his draft class. Martin has done an excellent job getting on-base, sporting an OBP of .424 in 55 games in Double-A New Hampshire. His power hasn’t developed yet, as evidenced by his two homers in 196 at-bats. He’s also made 10 errors in 27 games at short.
The @Twins acquired four of the 10 best prospects traded at the deadline this year ?
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) July 31, 2021
See them all + scouting reports, led by Austin Martin. https://t.co/ho89VXyW0b pic.twitter.com/AxLCRsKYL0
Woods-Richardson was acquired along with Anthony Kay in the Marcus Stroman trade in 2019. He was extremely impressive in Training Camp and looked ready to make the leap to the majors soon. However, the 20-year-old has experienced some growing pains with the AA-Fisher-Cats this season. He’s pitched to a 5.76 ERA in 45.1 innings, although he’s recorded 67 strikeouts. That’s an average of 13.3 K’s per 9 innings!
What They Got
Jose Berrios is a 27-year-old, two-time All-Star who’s been in the bigs since 2016. He’s shown incredible durability over his career. He made 32 starts in both 2018 and 2019. He eclipsed the 200-inning mark in 2019 and just missed (192.1 IP) the previous year. This season Berrios is 7-5 with a 3.48 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 126 strikeouts (10th most in the AL).
BREAKING: The Toronto Blue Jays are acquiring Jose Berrios, one of the most sought-after starters on the trade market, from the Minnesota Twins.https://t.co/sFXCRs7GZF
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 30, 2021
There’s a sense that, although he’s been very good throughout his career, he can reach another level. I have full confidence Jay’s pitching coach Pete Walker can unlock that hidden ability.
I wrote earlier in the week that the Blue Jays should sit pat at the deadline. They didn’t listen and I’m glad. The atmosphere at Rogers Centre on Friday night, their first real home game in almost two years, was electric. The front office sent the fans a clear message: we’re going for it!
Incredible play to end the game! It’s great to see @BlueJays back in Toronto at Rogers Centre ?? https://t.co/haQKPi3s6G
— MLB The Show (@MLBTheShow) July 31, 2021
The Verdict
They gave up two very good young players but two young players with no guarantee of making it, for a solid, proven commodity. Also, when Martin fell to them at #5 last year, I believe they selected him with the idea of offloading him. He’s also being blocked by both Bo Bichette and George Springer.
The front office has shown they believe in this team. They finally have returned home. Joakim Soria was added to help solidify the bullpen. Now there’s just one thing left to do.
