Comfortable Berríos skips free agency to stay with Blue Jays

TORONTO (AP) — Two months with the Toronto Blue Jays was enough to make José Berríos change his mind about waiting one more year to reach free agency.

Berríos finalized a $131 million, seven-year deal to stay with the Blue Jays on Thursday, passing up the opportunity to become a free agent next offseason.

A two-time All Star, the 27-year-old right=hander said his decision was simplified by getting a brief experience of life in Toronto after the Blue Jays acquired him from Minnesota on July 30.

“That was enough to make this decision because of the way they treated me, the nice welcome they gave me,” Berríos said. “The way I spent my last two months of the season here made it more easy and comfortable to make this decision.”

Berríos went 5-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 12 starts with Toronto, finishing 12-9 with a 3.52 ERA. The Blue Jays won 91 games, finishing one victory shy of a tie for a wild card berth in the competitive AL East.

An invigorated Berríos made it clear he didn’t want to fall short again in 2022.

"I can promise we’re going to do a lot of good things for the city,” he said. “We’re going to have a lot of fun.”

Berríos struck out a career-high 204 batters over 192 innings in 2021. He is 60-47 with a 4.04 ERA in six big league seasons.

Berríos said his wife visited him in Toronto after he was traded last summer, but said his three kids hadn’t visited their new home until the deal was reached.

“They love the city,” he said. “They ask me every day if we’re going to play tonight.”

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Berríos has “one of the best reputations in baseball,” adding the contract represents “a very big moment for this organization.

“Beyond that talent and that competitiveness and execution that you...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Comfortable-Berr-os-skips-free-agency-to-stay-16632485.php