Former Blue Jays All-Star blasts John Schneider for Jose Berrios decision
By Kristen Wong
Blue Jays fans are looking for somebody to fight after manager John Schneider made an arguably fireable offense. On Wednesday in Game 2 of the AL wild card series against the Minnesota Twins, Schneider removed starting pitcher Jose Berrios in the fourth inning.
Berrios was pulled after only 47 pitches and hadn't given up a run at that point. He allowed three hits and a walk and recorded five total strikeouts. As Blue Jays fans marveled at Berrios' efficient form, their happiness turned to horror when they saw what was unfolding.
Berrios was replaced by southpaw Yusei Kusuchi during the fourth inning. The main reasoning behind the change was that three of the next four Twins batters were lefties. For Blue Jays fans, the analytics in that reasoning just didn't fly.
Kusuchi would immediately give up a single, a walk, and a run to put the Blue Jays in a hole in a must-win game.
Toronto fans directed their boiling fury and frustration about Berrios' early exit at Schneider. After a cowardly move like that, he had it coming.
Former Blue Jays All-Star Ricky Romero was one of the first to lash out at Schneider and Co., but he certainly wasn't the last.
Blue Jays fans slam heads on tables after John Schneider yanks Jose Berrios in Game 2
Why the hell are pitchers warming up? Are we not seeing the type of stuff that Berríos has so far? Straight filth! Who cares what the damn numbers say! Let Jose cook!
— Ricky Romero (@Ricky_Ro24) October 4, 2023
So Berrios was dealing…
— Jackie Redmond (@Jackie_Redmond) October 4, 2023
Against his former team
In the ballpark he called home for 6 yrs..
In a do or die game…
But you take him out in the HOPES Kikuchi gets to his A game right away 🧐
This is what you get when you try to OUT-THINK the game!
Ugh.
these runs should not be charged to berrios or kikuchi. they should be charged to the losers who have taken all the joy out of baseball.
— alex (@steven_lebron) October 4, 2023
Keep the camera on Schneider and Atkins the rest of the game…zoom in on his head so I can see his nervous sweat
— BLUEJAYS HOTSTOVE (@bluejayhotstove) October 4, 2023
I feel terrible for the players especially Berrios and also Kikuchi
The blood is all on those two morons’ hands
Jose Berrios is completely dejected as he exits this game. Wow. Yusei Kikuchi comes in after 3.1 fantastic innings by Jose.
— Ethan Diamandas (@EthanDiamandas) October 4, 2023
John Schneider loves to play matchup games, but this is overkill, IMO. Berrios was a lightning bolt on the mound. #BlueJays
if the Jays lose this game after pulling Berrios, I’m finding it hard to see Schneider as the manager next season.
— Jordan Cicchelli 🤍 (@jordancicchelli) October 4, 2023
They just pulled Berrios after 47 pitches of 0 run ball!!!!! Thanks analytics nerds. You are smarter than all of us. This puts Kikuchi in such a bad spot. The geeks at their computers have no feel for the moment. This is just terrible. Just awful. #nerdsruinbaseball
— Ken Reid (@SNKenReid) October 4, 2023
Name a good reason for taking out Berrios pic.twitter.com/5KX7zXkdMu
— Jack 🎉🎉🎉 (@JoseBerriosHOF) October 4, 2023
Jose Berrios pitching a gem:
— Adam Samuels (@SamuelAdams_12) October 4, 2023
John Schneider: pic.twitter.com/4ojQKtC57k
In his decision to pull Berrios, Schneider listened to the analytics experts: this year, Berrios has held left-handed hitters to a .261 average and 16 home runs. Kikuchi held lefties to a .214 average and six home runs. The math makes sense.
The Blue Jays are currently down 2-0 to the Twins at the bottom of the fifth. If Toronto ends up losing this game and crashing out of the playoffs, Schneider had better buy a new pair of pants to cover his behind.
Next. SL: 1 trade every MLB team would like to have back. 1 trade every MLB team would like to have back. dark