TORONTO — A year and a day after being taken over by the Toronto Blue Jays outside of their comfort zone, Jose Berrios was back on the mound Sunday afternoon, driving his team to a 12th win in 15 games and another straight win.
Sure, trading top prospects Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson hurt at the time, but landing one of the available crown jewels during last summer’s frenzy? It was totally worth it, even with the ace right-hander’s non-linear season so far.
Given the opportunity, no one in the organization is reversing that deal now, and the psychological boost provided by the Berrios blockbuster is worth reflecting on as the Blue Jays headed towards the home stretch ahead of this year’s Aug. 2 deadline.
Berrios conceded one run in seven dominant innings, Matt Chapman hit a two-run homer while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette added RBI doubles in a 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers. The Blue Jays improved to 57-45, owned the first wild card spot and were in a much better position than they were a year ago when they took the plunge.
“Last year there was a lot of excitement and hype about coming home and our arrivals,” interim manager John Schneider compares the situation from last summer with this one. “At the moment we are still a very, very good team that is playing very well. So similar (situations) but you’ve put together a year of experience and a year of playing with this group and I really like where we’re at right now.
Berrios added: “I came here for one reason, one reason and I have (win) on my mind. So I extended my (contract) for another seven years. Everyone here is[working]to achieve that and win a World Series.”
That’s why the Blue Jays can’t suddenly go all conservative in a market that continued to tilt in favor of the sellers when Seattle sent three top 10 prospects, including their Nos. 1 and 2, and one other player to Cincinnati, to get ace Luis Castillo.
Compared to what Berrios cost a year ago, the inflation was staggering, the deadline equaling the annual change in your gas bill. The Blue Jays are fortunate to have a farming system that can afford the tops, and it’s up to them to scale up as responsibly as possible, no matter how much they dislike the prices.
A competing evaluator breaking down their lineup and odds noted that this is a bad year for the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, that the Mariners are desperate, that wildcard hopes Cleveland and Minnesota are out with the Blue Jays . even.
“I hope they pull through,” he said.
To that end, according to another industry source, the Blue Jays seemed careful to add a starter and two relief pieces, with a lean towards the rental side.
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi said the trade market for Oakland Athletics starter Frankie Montas is tied to the Blue Jays, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals, and the right-hander still has a year of contractual control, making him more expensive.
The Blue Jays and A’s know each other well from the Chapman deal earlier in the year, and a tenet of trading this time of year is to only take advantage of your top prospects if an all-star caliber player is coming back in return.
Montas, who recently returned from a shoulder problem, is definitely in the top starting XI but his health is questionable. It would no doubt give a big boost to their rotation, but there are arguments that putting middle-market potential capital in the bullpen might be more effective.
The Blue Jays have been reluctant to make significant bullpen investments in recent seasons due to the volatility of reliever performance, but when the playoffs get tough, the ball is often in their hands by the time the games are decided.
For that reason, the Chicago Cubs’ David Robertson seems like a happy medium, offering both experience, in-season performance and rental status to keep the price tag more bearable.
The Tigers have another loan deal on the radar in Michael Fulmer, but also some longer-term plays fitting for the Blue Jays in Gregory Soto, Joe Jimenez and Alex Lange. Everyone auditioned here this weekend and on the other side of the dugout there is a feeling that some of their players would stay in Toronto.
That didn’t work and the Tigers must be tempted to give up helpers with multi-year control beyond this season because when they turn the corner soon, they’ll be looking for helpers like Soto, Jimenez and Lange to have in their bullpen.
The Blue Jays have most of what they need and are the last piece of the stage. Their current 12-3 stretch from a 1-9 run has shown what they can be when they’re at their best, and a few more plays will only make them more impressive.
Last year “we had the confidence in ourselves and we hadn’t shown it yet,” Bichette said. “Now we know and everyone else knows what we are capable of. We are definitely in a better place.”
Chapman added, while discussing what he likes best about the team’s last run, “We’re not just hitting home runs. We’re not just going out there and beating everyone out. We play defense. The pitchers give us a chance to stay in games. Bullpen was able to come in and close the door. We just see a more rounded version of our team. Boys steal bases. We move quickly around the bases. If you have a few different ways to win baseball games, it’s going to be huge because you’re not going to go into October and you’re just going to start hitting people and just hitting. That’s when pitching really shines.”
Indeed, and the Blue Jays already have more than most in that regard. But a team can never have enough pitching and can always bolster the bullpen, which is well worth it even if the price is uncomfortably high if their roster gives them that kind of opportunity.
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