Blue Jays agree to 7-year, $131M contract extension with Berríos

Posted November 16, 2021 9:33 am.
Last Updated November 18, 2021 8:36 am.
The Toronto Blue Jays have kicked off what should be a busy winter with a bang, agreeing to a seven-year, $131 million contract extension with starting pitcher Jose Berríos.
The new deal was first reported by Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi. The club made the contract extension official on Thursday.
OFFICIAL: We've agreed to terms with RHP José Berríos on a 7-year contract extension.
The best is yet to come, @JOLaMaKina! pic.twitter.com/B7A89Pp74o
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) November 18, 2021
The Blue Jays will hold a press conference at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Thursday. Berríos and general manager Ross Atkins will be in attendance.
Berríos, 27, was arbitration-eligible this offseason and would have hit the open market as a free agent in 2023. Instead, the Blue Jays decided they’d rather keep him around for the long haul, hoping Berríos anchors their rotation well into the future. The contract extension buys out the final year of arbitration and runs through the 2028 season when Berríos turns 34.
“He was always a great fit, and I think he knew it,” Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker told Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae.
“I’m extremely excited for him and the Blue Jays [organization]. He’s an elite pitcher with [an] incredible work ethic. A leader by example. Loved working with him and watching him pitch every five days. He’s also an awesome person.”
The long-term deal follows a pair of significant contracts in recent years, including George Springer and Hyun Jin Ryu. Springer’s six-year, $150 million contract signed last offseason is the richest in Blue Jays history. Still, Berríos’ reported deal now matches former Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells’ in terms of length, a seven-year, $126 million extension he signed to in 2006.
Berríos was acquired from the Minnesota Twins on July 30 for prospects Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson. He pitched well for the Blue Jays, finishing with a 3.58 ERA and 78 strikeouts (10 K/9) in 12 starts with the club. He made 32 starts split between the Twins and Blue Jays, amassing a career-high 204 strikeouts while accruing 3.2 bWAR.
Twins EVP, Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey said last week their sense was Jose Berrios "was going to want to see through" chance to hit FA after next year. Blue Jays paid him enough to forego that. pic.twitter.com/84Z2pT7omY
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) November 16, 2021
Locking up Berríos should signal that the Blue Jays are ready to add to a team that just missed the playoffs despite winning 91 games. Both Marcus Semien and this year’s American League Cy Young Award recipient, Robbie Ray are free agents, and will likely generate significant interest in the open market.
Semien and Ray declined the $18.4 million qualifying offer, meaning Toronto can get draft pick compensation if either player signs elsewhere. Toronto must also replace Steven Matz, another free agent.
The Blue Jays enter next season with Alek Manoah, Ryu and Berríos as locks in their starting rotation.
With files from Sportsnet