The Blue Jays extend José Berríos for 7 years and $131M

[RobinThicc]

Deal jumps up when Springer is off the books.

[TwistedLogic]

That contract structure is literally perfect. Gives the Jays a ton of room to work with over the next few years and then the biggest base jump is to 24M, which is still nothing for a front-end starter. Verlander's making more than that in 2022.

[devo]

If he performs well over the next 5 years and ends up opting out, the contact will be 5 years - $83 million. Love this deal and structure.

[z3r0s]

Yeah this is a great layout for us. Biggest money late and in the opt out years. Still confused how this is so cheap

[TwistedLogic]

I have no idea why he took this. If he was a free agent right now, he'd be getting offers over $200M. Instead he essentially signed for $83M/5. Almost feel bad for the guy but I kinda also wish his agent represented all the Blue Jays' players.

[G-Snarls]

I like it

[Spanky99]

 

Thanks jerb for sharing this!

[glory]

I have no idea why he took this. If he was a free agent right now, he'd be getting offers over $200M. Instead he essentially signed for $83M/5. Almost feel bad for the guy but I kinda also wish his agent represented all the Blue Jays' players.

 

I don't think he would have gotten $200 million offers in free agency. He's a very good starter, but even someone similar to him like Stroman is probably not coming close to that figure. If you assume his FA years were essentially signed at 6/120, then I think he left some money on the table by taking the extension, but not $200m.

[TwistedLogic]

I don't think he would have gotten $200 million offers in free agency. He's a very good starter, but even someone similar to him like Stroman is probably not coming close to that figure. If you assume his FA years were essentially signed at 6/120, then I think he left some money on the table by taking the extension, but not $200m.

 

Stroman is 30. Berrios is 27. Even if we ignore that Berrios has better projections for 2022, the age alone would give him another three years and at least $75M over whatever Stroman's ceiling for earnings is.

 

Jose would be the #1 option in this class by far and there is no way he wouldn't make over 200M if he was available on the open market right now.

[glory]

Stroman is 30. Berrios is 27. Even if we ignore that Berrios has better projections for 2022, the age alone would give him another three years and at least $75M over whatever Stroman's ceiling for earnings is.

 

Jose would be the #1 option in this class by far and there is no way he wouldn't make over 200M if he was available on the open market right now.

 

Only 6 pitchers in MLB history have gotten contracts for $200m or more.

 

Cole: $324m

Strasburg: $245m

Price: $217m

Kershaw: $215m

Scherzer: $210m

Greinke: $206m

 

I like Berrios as a pitcher, but I don't think there was a chance he was going to get $200m as a FA after 2022, unless his 2022 season was suddenly bonafide ace quality.

[G-Snarls]

Only 6 pitchers in MLB history have gotten contracts for $200m or more.

 

Cole: $324m

Strasburg: $245m

Price: $217m

Kershaw: $215m

Scherzer: $210m

Greinke: $206m

 

I like Berrios as a pitcher, but I don't think there was a chance he was going to get $200m as a FA after 2022, unless his 2022 season was suddenly bonafide ace quality.

 

Agreed

 

He doesn't sniff those contracts

[TwistedLogic]

Only 6 pitchers in MLB history have gotten contracts for $200m or more.

 

Cole: $324m

Strasburg: $245m

Price: $217m

Kershaw: $215m

Scherzer: $210m

Greinke: $206m

 

I like Berrios as a pitcher, but I don't think there was a chance he was going to get $200m as a FA after 2022, unless his 2022 season was suddenly bonafide ace quality.

 

I didn't say after 2022. I said if he was on the open market right now. Big difference.

 

The only reason more pitchers aren't on that list is because most don't make it to free agency when they're that young. Berrios is 27 right now.

[mellowgold]

What a tidy piece of business. I can't believe he won't even touch $20 mil/season until 2026.

[Ray]

I didn't say after 2022. I said if he was on the open market right now. Big difference.

 

The only reason more pitchers aren't on that list is because most don't make it to free agency when they're that young. Berrios is 27 right now.

 

We can all agree he left a fairly substantial amount of $$$ on the table regardless of how much you think it is specifically. Honestly just speaks to the culture of this team. Berrios was "dead-set" on hitting free agency when with the Twins (his own words). He's here 2.5 months and he loves the city and the team enough to sign for a significantly below market deal. Speaks volumes of this city, the front office, coaching staff, players, and other people in the organization making him feel comfortable. I'd say that Martin & SWR deal worked out in our favour. We got a bona fide #2 with the potential to mature into a #1.

 

Also find it funny that people on here were saying they didn't want to extend Stroman because they were cheap. 2 years later, we've spent $200M total on Ryu and Berrios. Safe to say, I think there were reasons beyond money for why Stroman wasn't resigned.

[Deadpool]

 

Lots of praise for the city and organization. Nice to hear that Toronto as a whole had enough of an impact on him to make this possible.

[JaysAllMighty]

 

Also find it funny that people on here were saying they didn't want to extend Stroman because they were cheap. 2 years later, we've spent $200M total on Ryu and Berrios. Safe to say, I think there were reasons beyond money for why Stroman wasn't resigned.

 

Douchebag comes to mind.

[JFD]

Good Shatkins. Very good

 

Good management is everything

 

-Canucks fan

[max silver]

Stroman is 30. Berrios is 27. Even if we ignore that Berrios has better projections for 2022, the age alone would give him another three years and at least $75M over whatever Stroman's ceiling for earnings is.

 

Jose would be the #1 option in this class by far and there is no way he wouldn't make over 200M if he was available on the open market right now.

 

That's a huge stretch. Berrios has never had a season where he produced legitimate number 1 starter numbers, so there is no chance he would garner a contract in the $200 million range. If he were to pitch like he did for the final 7 starts of 2021 for a full season maybe that would be a different conversation, but this is a guy who has maxed out as a 4 win starter up to this point, not a bonafide ace starter.

[G-Snarls]

We can all agree he left a fairly substantial amount of $$$ on the table regardless of how much you think it is specifically. Honestly just speaks to the culture of this team. Berrios was "dead-set" on hitting free agency when with the Twins (his own words). He's here 2.5 months and he loves the city and the team enough to sign for a significantly below market deal. Speaks volumes of this city, the front office, coaching staff, players, and other people in the organization making him feel comfortable. I'd say that Martin & SWR deal worked out in our favour. We got a bona fide #2 with the potential to mature into a #1.

 

Also find it funny that people on here were saying they didn't want to extend Stroman because they were cheap. 2 years later, we've spent $200M total on Ryu and Berrios. Safe to say, I think there were reasons beyond money for why Stroman wasn't resigned.

 

How much credit does Charlie Montoyo deserve for this current culture of clubhouse happiness

 

(I didn't put a question mark because we don't have any way of really knowing)

[John Balkabella]

Leaving the baseball side out of it out for a moment, Berrios seems like a very sincere guy.

 

Fairly easy to see why his teammates took to him. Jays did their due diligence.

 

For him to sign now, he must have seen the same thing in the organization.

 

Frankly, I don’t care if he’s not labeled an ace or a No. 1, he’s a damn good pitcher, and hopefully an integral part of much future success for the team.

 

Fair deal all around.

[TwistedLogic]

That's a huge stretch. Berrios has never had a season where he produced legitimate number 1 starter numbers, so there is no chance he would garner a contract in the $200 million range. If he were to pitch like he did for the final 7 starts of 2021 for a full season maybe that would be a different conversation, but this is a guy who has maxed out as a 4 win starter up to this point, not a bonafide ace starter.

 

Some of you really seem to underestimate how much a 4-win, 27-year-old player would make on the open market.

[Jimcanuck]

Some of you really seem to underestimate how much a 4-win, 27-year-old player would make on the open market.

 

Certainly a lot..... $200M worth, possibly. I could see a team giving him 9/200

 

Thing about Berrios is he has excellent control and what, 4 or 5 pitches? As his velocity drops over time, he will still be effective, perhaps more so with experience and craft.

[Spanky99]

Honestly, who cares what he *would of got* on the open market. He isn't on the open market and Ross Atkins has shown he can be prudent in trade for us, with this extension wrapped up at a team friendly contract. Him talking with Jose's agent prior to that trade and using our facilities and sports management do the talking, not to mention our beautiful diverse city that had him and his wife sold on living here. Was poetic really.

 

ETA: And of course, our players and talent. Sold!

[max silver]

Some of you really seem to underestimate how much a 4-win, 27-year-old player would make on the open market.

 

I don't know that we have somebody of that nature as a past comparable when it boils down to it. If you have one to show I'd love to see it as it appears you are making a wild assumption of the value without past precedent to back it up. The most similar recent player signing I can come up with off the top of my head is Zack Wheeler. He signed as a 29 year old for 5 years/$118 million. He took longer to put things together however his stuff is a clear step above that of Berrios and in my view his potential upside was higher as a result. Does Berrios as a 27 year old somehow manage to snag an extra $82 million in free agency simply because he would be 2 years younger at time of signing? I really don't think so.

Edited November 19, 2021 by max silver

[John_Havok]

I don't know that we have somebody of that nature as a past comparable when it boils down to it. If you have one to show I'd love to see it as it appears you are making a wild assumption of the value without past precedent to back it up. The most similar recent player signing I can come up with off the top of my head is Zack Wheeler. He signed as a 29 year old for 5 years/$118 million. He took longer to put things together however his stuff is a clear step above that of Berrios and in my view his potential upside was higher as a result. Does Berrios as a 27 year old somehow manage to snag an extra $82 million in free agency simply because he would be 2 years younger at time of signing? I really don't think so.

 

It’s kinda weird to think of Berrios as an ace. I don’t really see him that way but rather a very solid #2 on a championship caliber team. He’s a great arm, but I feel the Jays still need that top shelf vodka for a great post season run. They will be great in the regular season either way, but come playoff time it still feels like there’s some pieces missing

[Jimcanuck]

Atlanta didn't have an "ace". Neither did Houston for that matter.

 

The Jays had an ace, but .....

[John_Havok]

Atlanta also had 88 wins in the regular season, not exactly what you want to shoot for.

[Krylian]

Atlanta also had 88 wins in the regular season, not exactly what you want to shoot for.

 

And yet....

[John_Havok]

And yet....

 

Yeah, anyone can win if you get in. But you almost never get in with 88 wins. If youre trying to build a team to get into the playoffs, your goal isn't 88 wins.

 

Quit pretending like the Braves have somehow stumbled on a market inefficiency of being the best of a terrible division, barely making it in, and then playing well for 3 weeks.

[Jimcanuck]

Yeah, anyone can win if you get in. But you almost never get in with 88 wins. If youre trying to build a team to get into the playoffs, your goal isn't 88 wins.

 

Quit pretending like the Braves have somehow stumbled on a market inefficiency of being the best of a terrible division, barely making it in, and then playing well for 3 weeks.

 

There are many paths to a WS that don't involve a team having an "ace".