Still finding rhythm, Blue Jays’ Berrios pleased with Spring Training opener

SARASOTA, Fla. – Even in the first Grapefruit League game of this abbreviated spring, even against a Baltimore Orioles team that still appears to be exceptionally bad, Jose Berrios is looking for any little edge he can find.

So, knowing he’s likely to face the American League East rival several times during the season ahead, the ace Toronto Blue Jays right-hander was careful with what he offered up in his first of four pre-season starts.

No matter that he was facing only one, maybe two of the Orioles regulars. Every look counts and the less information a frequent opponent has against him, the better.

“I already have six years at this level, they know my weapons – but team is in the same division, so I don't want to show all my strengths,” Berrios said after logging two outs in each of the first two innings of a 9-5 victory Friday. “They know me, but I don't want them to keep seeing me so early. I wanted to feel where we are with the spin, the changeup, fastball we have to throw it over the plate. But I know when the lights go on that things are going to change a little bit.”

Such a strategic outlook coloured the entirety of Berrios’ approach to the 2022 season.

Feeling secure after signing a $131-million, seven-year extension allowed him for the first time to focus his off-season on being “ready for October” rather than gearing up to be ready for the middle of March, he said.

Among his focuses, picking up on a thread from late last year, was concentrating on keeping his weight on his heel rather than his toes on his back foot as he’s driving to the plate. The subtle weight shift allows him to avoid tipping forward and stay better in line throughout his delivery.

An immediate result is that despite a somewhat messy 27-pitch first inning – in which manager Charlie Montoyo pulled him with the intent of having him re-enter the game in the second – plus roughly 10 more in the second, he said there was no fatigue in his arm or elsewhere.

“In past spring trainings, my back hurt, my glutes hurt, like tight,” said Berrios. “Today, I didn't feel those little things.”

All of which left him pleased with his day’s work. He felt strong though out of rhythm, which is to be expected given that he reported for duty last Sunday and started in a game five days later.

The Orioles got him for two runs on a Tyler Nevin double in the first and Berrios retired the only two batters he faced in the second, a beneficiary of the re-entry rule instituted this spring instead of the ability to roll-out innings employed a year ago.

“It was weird,” Berrios said of coming back into the game. Under different circumstanes, “maybe I’d feel frustrated or something. Now, we know why we came here. We came to work. We've got a plan, that's what we do. Keep following the plan and try to execute.”

NOTES

Kevin Gausman starts Saturday at the Philadelphia Phillies.

Berrios is on pace to start opening day April 8 in Toronto. Is that the plan? “I think I have a chance,” he said with a smile. 

During a meeting with Major League Baseball officials Thursday, manager Charlie Montoyo and his staff were informed about the plan to use the re-entry rule this spring. In this instance, he said, “it worked out great” but when asked if he’d prefer the ability to roll out an inning, he grinned and said, “well, if you want to go by this game ... I know how I feel right now because it was a five-hour game. That's the rule. It worked out for us today.”

Time of game was actually three hours 33 minutes, but his exaggeration is demonstrative of a plodding game in which pitchers from both sides struggled to get out of innings.

Bo Bichette was hit by a pitch in the first and walked twice after before exiting the game. He was replaced by top prospect Orelvis Martinez, who made a couple of loud outs, including one rocket to shortstop that had the Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sound off the bat (there was no Statcast data available for the game).

Righty Adrian Hernandez, who struck out 44 batters in 28.2 innings while walking just eight and allowing 12 hits at high-A Vancouver last year, was among those to impress Montoyo. He struck out three in 2.1 scoreless innings. “That changeup is pretty nasty,” said Montoyo.

Cavan Biggio, who didn’t make the trip, will focus his defensive work this spring at second base, right field and first base, said Montoyo. There are no current plans to get either him or Santiago Espinal reps in centre field.