The Blue Jays’ decision to pull Jose Berrios not only backfired, but at least one member of the team was not thrilled with the decision.
The Twins eliminated the Blue Jays with a 2-0 win in Game 2 of their American League Wild Card Series on Wednesday, as Toronto gave Berrios a quick hook after just 47 pitches.
Infielder Whit Merrifield gave a candid response about the move, which did not help matters in the elimination game.
“I hated it, frankly,” Merrifield said after the game, according to Sports Illustrated. “It’s not what cost us the game, but it’s the kind of baseball decisions that are taking away from managers and baseball, at this stage of the game.”
Berrios had kept the Twins — his former team — scoreless through the first three innings before he gave up a leadoff walk to Game 1 hero Royce Lewis to start the fourth.
At that point, Blue Jays manager John Schneider decided it was time to move on from the righty and bring in Yusei Kikuchi, a lefty.
“Everybody was surprised with the decision, but there are things that you cannot control,” Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said through an interpreter, according to Sportsnet. “You can ask yourself many times, but it’s not our decision. We were surprised.”
Things quickly went in the wrong direction when Kikuchi allowed the next three runners to reach, including Carlos Correa, who drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single.
Minnesota added one more run on a double play, which was more than enough to beat Toronto on Wednesday.
Berrios, who was officially charged with the first run, also seemed to be taken aback by the move.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” Berrios said, according to Sportsnet. “I can’t control that. I did my best [through] the first 12 batters, so it is what it is.”
For his part, Schneider said he wanted to “utilize” everyone in his staff but admitted things did not work out.
“We had a few different plans in place. Jose was aware of it. He had electric stuff, tough to take him, and I think with the that they’re constructed, you want to utilize your whole roster and it didn’t work out,” Schneider told Sportsnet.
“You can sit here and second guess me, second guess the organization, second guess anybody.”
While the Twins won their first playoff series in 21 years, the Blue Jays have now gone seven years without a playoff victory.
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