The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a deal to acquire right-handed pitcher Jose Berrios from Minnesota, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The 27-year old Berrios is 7-5 in 20 starts this season with a 3.48 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 121⅔ innings.
The Twins will receive prospects — shortstop/center fielder Austin Martin and right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson — in exchange for Berrios, sources told ESPN.
Toronto began the day at 51-48, in the fifth spot chasing two AL wild-card slots.
Berrios was Minnesota’s unquestioned ace, a two-time All-Star who has been as durable as any pitcher in the game and remains under team control through the 2022 season.
Dealing Berrios will set a struggling rotation back even further, but the Twins had leverage with so many teams seeking high-end starting pitching. Getting prospects back from deals they’re making this month ought to give them a jump start on resetting for 2022 and beyond after this disappointing season on the heels of two straight AL Central titles.
The Athletic was first to report the Berrios trade.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report