Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios (17) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins during Game 2 of the wild-card series for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Target Field. Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Blue Jays blow their season with absurd pitching decision

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 10/5/23

The Toronto Blue Jays have an entire season to wonder what if.

As in, what if manager John Schneider didn't pull starter Jose Berrios after 47 pitches and five strikeouts in a scoreless game?

The Blue Jays were swept in the ALWC after losing 2-0 to the Minnesota Twins, losing after the Twins scored two runs once Berrios was pulled in the fourth inning after issuing a walk to Royce Lewis.

Former Blue Jays catcher and manager Buck Martinez ripped the team's decision to pull Berrios after his strong start.

Buck Martinez isn't a fan of the #BlueJays pitching change today, taking out Jose Berrios in the 4th:

"There's no reason for him to come out of that game. You didn't know what Kikuchi was going to do, you knew what Berrios was doing. There was no reason to make the change." pic.twitter.com/4SMIbNZadW
— Adam Laskaris (@adam_la2karis) October 4, 2023

During the broadcast, Alex Rodriguez provided color commentary and suggested the move was made not by Schneider but was instead dictated by upper management, using advanced metrics as its reasoning.

Whatever the motivation, pulling Berrios in the fourth inning after he struck out five batters in the first three innings is on the same level of gross managerial negligence as Red Sox manager Grady Little's decision to keep Pedro Martinez in too long during the 2003 ALCS.

Berrios had it going early, despite the early walk. He had 32 strikes in his 47 pitches.

Berrios painted the corner beautifully on this two-seamer.

José Berríos, Painted 96mph Two Seamer. ️ pic.twitter.com/xSUeLhsdW9
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 4, 2023

He kept it going as he recorded three strikeouts in the third.

José Berríos is DEALING.

He records his sixth strikeout in the third inning. pic.twitter.com/R8Rd1eyk5Q
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 4, 2023

The Jays made a catastrophic error by pulling Berrios, which immediately backfired.

Correa knocks in a run and the Twins still have the bases loaded with no outs! pic.twitter.com/B3tgP5caVW
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 4, 2023

Berrios should have been out there for the fourth inning. Who knows if things would have ended any differently if he didn't get pulled, but he earned the right to pitch longer than into the fourth inning.

Schneider and the Blue Jays have no justification for their awful decision. Let the offseason of second-guessing begin in Toronto.

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