Blue Jays acquire right-hander Berrios from Twins for pair of top prospects

CTV National News: Home field advantage For the first time in almost two years, the Toronto Blue Jays played ball on Canadian soil. John Vennavally-Rao has more from home plate.

TORONTO — In need of pitching as the trade deadline approached, the Toronto Blue Jays significantly upgraded their starting rotation by acquiring right-handed Jose Berrios from the Minnesota Twins on Friday.

The two-time all-star has a 7-5 record with a 3.48 earned-run average and 126 strikeouts over 20 starts with the Twins this season.

Berrios's services did not come cheap. Toronto parted with two top prospects -- infielder Austin Martin and right-handed Simeon Woods Richardson -- to land the 27-year-old.

The six-foot, 205-pound Berrios was selected by Minnesota in the first round (32nd overall) of the 2012 first-year player draft.

He was named an American League all-star in both 2018 and 2019.

Berrios has a 55-43 record with a 4.08 ERA over six seasons.

Martin, 22, was selected by the Blue Jays fifth overall in the 2020 first-year draft. He was ranked the No. 2 prospect in the Blue Jays organization behind pitcher Nate Pearson.

Woods Richardson, 20, was 2-4 with a 5.76 ERA over 11 starts for Double-A New Hampshire this season. He was ranked the No. 4 prospect in Toronto's system.

The trade was confirmed a couple of hours before baseball's Friday afternoon trade deadline, and on the same day the Blue Jays were set to play their first game at Rogers Centre in almost two years.

The Jays had been based in the United States for the entire 2020 season and the first four months of the 2021 season due to COVID-19 restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2021.