Should the Minnesota Twins trade José Berríos?
The Minnesota Twins are at a crossroads with their ace pitcher, José Berríos. Will Minnesota give him a large payday? Or look to move him in the coming weeks or the offseason?
The Twins’ drafted Berríos in 2012 and he’s shown the team why he’s been worthy of a first-round pick. But, with the trade deadline being July 30, the team has a franchise altering decision to make.
If Minnesota traded him, they’d receive a nice trade package in return. The organization will need to decide if this disappointing 2021 season is a fluke and if they’ll be contending next year.
Realistically speaking, contending in 2022 isn’t out of the possibility. On paper, they have the cap space and a lot of their core players returning. One of those players who still have another year left of arbitration is Berríos – another reason why his value on the trade market is so high.
Reports are starting to emerge on the future of the Twins’ ace. Phil Miller of the Star Tribune reported where Berríos stands on the situation moving forward:
“I like Minnesota. My family likes it too. This is the organization that gave me an opportunity to be a professional and a big-leaguer,” Berrios said. “But it’s a business, too. They understand that I have to do what’s best for me and my family. We’ll see what they think. Someday.”
This quote from Berríos sounds like he has enjoyed Minnesota and would come back, but the only way is if they meet his demands. He’s made it clear that he won’t take any hometown discounts to stay with the team that drafted him in 2012.
To his credit, Berríos and Minnesota have been negotiating for many years now, but a deal hasn’t come to fruition. It would be foolish for the organization to throw out their highest offer right away, but time is starting to dwindle and they’ll need to act quickly.
Would Minnesota be able to outbid 29 other teams in free agency? Maybe, but why wait if you believe in both your franchise and Berríos’s potential?
Over his six-year career, Berríos has shown No. 1 quality starts. However, those starts are so far and in between that it’s looking more like he’s a good No. 2. He’s only 27 years old and there’s still plenty of time to improve.
| Year | W | L | ERA | G | GS | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | BF | ERA+ | WHIP | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 | 7 | 8.02 | 14 | 14 | 58.1 | 74 | 56 | 52 | 12 | 35 | 49 | 281 | 53 | 1.869 | |
| 2017 | 14 | 8 | 3.89 | 26 | 25 | 145.2 | 131 | 71 | 63 | 15 | 48 | 139 | 616 | 114 | 1.229 | |
| 2018 | 12 | 11 | 3.84 | 32 | 32 | 192.1 | 159 | 83 | 82 | 25 | 61 | 202 | 797 | 111 | 1.144 | AS |
| 2019 | 14 | 8 | 3.68 | 32 | 32 | 200.1 | 194 | 94 | 82 | 26 | 51 | 195 | 842 | 122 | 1.223 | AS |
| 2020 | 5 | 4 | 4.00 | 12 | 12 | 63.0 | 57 | 28 | 28 | 8 | 26 | 68 | 271 | 107 | 1.317 | |
| 2021 | 7 | 4 | 3.69 | 19 | 19 | 114.2 | 92 | 51 | 47 | 14 | 32 | 122 | 464 | 113 | 1.081 | |
| 6 Yr | 55 | 42 | 4.11 | 135 | 134 | 774.1 | 707 | 383 | 354 | 100 | 253 | 775 | 3271 | 106 | 1.240 | |
| 162 | 14 | 11 | 4.11 | 34 | 34 | 196 | 179 | 97 | 89 | 25 | 64 | 196 | 827 | 106 | 1.240 |
Berríos is a two-time All-Star and will likely be voted in a few more times when it’s all said and done. Will he ever win a CY Young? He has the stuff to do so and it’s just a matter of being more consistent. This season he’s been dominant, holding a 7-4 record and an ERA of 3.69.
Before his doubleheader start against the Chicago White Sox on July 19, Berríos was holding the best ERA of his career at 3.48.
He’s undoubtedly a fan favorite and would be missed dearly if he was ever pitching for another team. His asking price is high, but if you’re the Twins, you pay him what he wants.
KSTP’s Darren Wolfson has reported that he’s seeking $20 million a year. A five-year/$100 million contract wouldn’t be a financial burden for Minnesota. Lance McCullers Jr. received a five-year/$85 million contract. Zack Wheeler received a five-year/$118 million contract.
Landing in the middle of those two players would likely lead to a mutual agreement between Minnesota and Berríos. Before McCullers Jr and Wheeler landed those deals, they were both one-time All-Stars and have a similar win-loss percentage and ERA.
Unless Minnesota believes the trade package they can receive is more valuable than locking Berríos up for $20 million a season, then they have to do it. But, if they believe they will be contending over the next handful of years, you pay him what he wants.
