Tonight marks the first All-Star appearance for righthander Jose Berrios, who made the American League squad in just his third season in the major leagues. He’s certainly deserving with his 3.68 ERA (14% above league average) and 3.78 FIP (10% above league average), which ranks 16th and 18th among qualified AL starters, respectively. If that’s not enough, he’s also 7th in innings pitched (127 1⁄ 3 ), 10th in batting average allowed (.212), and 15th in strikeout rate (24.9%). Berrios was first drafted in 2012 in the supplemental round (32nd overall) by the Twins. Since debuting as a professional, he rocketed up the minor league ladder, eventually reaching the major leagues at 22 years old in 2016. However, that was his first taste of struggling as he had an 8.02 ERA over 14 starts. Finding the plate was a big problem as he walked over 12% of the batters he faced (MLB average that year was 8.2%) and even when he did find the plate, he allowed a .307 batting average. However, even stars like Roy Halladay needed to make some tweaks early in their career and Berrios’ changes made him into the pitcher he is today. In the minor leagues, Berrios’ stuff was so good that he could throw his four pitches wherever he wanted and he could fool hitters. However, in the major leagues, hitters saw that he was constantly trying to get them to chase, so they let him throw ball one and two before jumping on him when he was forced to throw into the strike zone. Before the 2017 season, it was pointed out to Berrios that his stuff was so good that he could throw in the strike zone and still get hitters out, and he took that to heart. Instead of always trying to fool the batters, Berrios started attacking and became the pitcher he was expected to be. Regarding that stuff, well, I’ll start you off with a very popular Berrios gif. That sweeping curveball comes running in at around 82 MPH, which is very similar to Corey Kluber’s. While it’s about 2 MPH slower than Kluber’s breaking ball, Berrios also gets a couple more inches of vertical movement. Part of why his curveball is so devastating is that Berrios is able to set it up with a 4-seam and a 2-seam fastball that sit at around 93 MPH. The 2-seamer averages around 10 inches of horizontal run, which coincidentally is also roughly how much movement Kluber gets on his 2-seamer. Berrios mixes his two fastballs and his curveball evenly, using each about 30% apiece. He also has a change-up, but the other three pitches are by far his best and he’ll very likely put them on display tonight. Considering that he’s only 24 years old and just in his third season, I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Berrios yet. As he gets older, I could see him embracing the role as the ace for the Twins staff, becoming a #1 pitcher that the team has sorely lacked since the days of Johan Santana.<doc-sep>The Minnesota Twins — who slid into the All-Star Break with a 44-50 losing record — had (perhaps rightfully) only one representative for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game: young Puerto Rican pitcher Jose Berrios . Considering Berrios pitched 6.0 innings just three days ago, it wasn’t a given he’d even pitch in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. However, he was Minnesota’s only representative, and he was excited to be there, so he did, in fact, pitch the 5th inning for the American League team — and it was a scoreless one at that! In fact, Berrios needed only 13 pitches to retire the National League team. Here’s what happened: Berrios faced Cubs catcher Willson Contreras to start the inning. He threw two balls to start the inning, before getting Contreras to ground out on the third pitch. to start the inning. He threw two balls to start the inning, before getting to ground out on the third pitch. Next up was the Cubs’ Javier Baez — a fellow Puerto Rican who Berrios previously said he was both excited and nervous to face. Baez took a ball on the first pitch, then swung at the next two. He took the fourth pitch for a ball, before grounding out on the fifth. Winner: Jose Berrios. — a fellow Puerto Rican who Berrios previously said he was both excited and nervous to face. took a ball on the first pitch, then swung at the next two. He took the fourth pitch for a ball, before grounding out on the fifth. Winner: Jose Berrios. Berrios then faced Rockies slugger Nolan Arenado , who he wisely walked on four pitches. , who he wisely walked on four pitches. The fifth and final batter Berrios faced was the Cardinals’ Yadier Molina (another catcher! ), who flew out to the warning track in center on the first pitch. Not going to lie — it kinda scared me for a split second. Here’s that Berrios had to tell the fans after his outing:<doc-sep>Minnesota Twins right hander was the lone All Star selection but proved he was worthy on Tuesday night The Minnesota Twins Jose Berrios did what all Little Leaguers dream of Tuesday. He took the mound in an MLB All-Star game for the first time in his career. 24-year-old Berrios showed that the moment wasn’t too big for him. He came in at the bottom of the 5th with the AL leading 2-1 and showed why the Twins are excited about him. He showed not only the youthful exuberance we all love, but some of the command issues we don’t. Wilson Contreras took Berrios to 2-0 before grounding out. Berrios threw a wild breaking ball behind Salvadore Perez, but settled in quickly after that. Much conversation was on the movement of Berrios’ pitches. That movement was especially prominent when Berrios pitched to the dangerous Javy Baez on 5 pitches. Next, Berrios walked Nolan Arenado on 4 straight. AL fans held their breath when Yadier Molina stepped into the batters box. Few players are more dangerous than Yadi and his power was on full display tonight. Molina crushed one to the center field warning track where it was tracked down for out number 3. The All Star Experience is a Family Affair Berrios only got in one inning of work on Tuesday, but he made the most of his first All Star experience. The youngest Twin to pitch in the All Star game since Bert Blyleven in 1973, Berrios took full advantage of the opportunity. On Monday, he cheered on fellow Puerto Rican Javy Baez in the Home Run Derby. That night, the 5 Puerto Rican born All Star players, including Baez and Molina, went to dinner together with their families. On Tuesday, Berrios walked the red carpet with his son and daughter in tow. Apply to Puckett's Pond. Start your application process by filling out the fields below In recent years, we have seen young players and their young families enjoying the All Star experience. Baseball has always been a family affair, but one of the best parts of the sport is watching generations come together. Jose Berrios is only 24 years old. If he continues on the road he is on, his son will no doubt get to come to many more All Star games with his dad.<doc-sep>WASHINGTON — A record 10 home runs. A slew of strikeouts. The all-or-nothing All-Star Game mirrored what baseball has become. Astros teammates Alex Bregman and George Springer homered on consecutive pitches to begin the 10th inning, and the American League beat the National League 8-6 Tuesday night for its sixth straight win. “Standard operation nowadays, right?” said AL manager A.J. Hinch of Houston. “We’re going to homer and punch out as an industry.” “There’s a great love affair with both results. I mean, to kind of empty your tank and hit homers tonight at this event is probably the best thing imaginable,” he said. “Just to have that kind of emotion that comes with the home run, especially when the big boys hit it and especially when the Astros hit it.” Mike Trout, Aaron Judge and Jean Segura also connected for the AL in a game where every run except one scored on a homer. Scooter Gennett hit a tying two-run shot off Seattle closer Edwin Diaz in the bottom of the ninth. Joey Votto, Willson Contreras, Trevor Story, Christian Yelich also homered for the NL. There had never been more than six homers in an All-Star Game since Babe Ruth hit the very first one in 1933. Minnesota’s lone All-Star Jose Berrios held the NL scoreless in the fifth inning. The 24-year-old walked Nolan Arenado with two outs but escaped trouble by forcing St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina to fly out to end the inning. While several sluggers went deep, not everything went their way. Starters Max Scherzer and Chris Sale and the relievers combined to fan 15 in the first 4 1/2 innings, and there were 25 strikeouts overall. Fitting, because this season is on pace to become the first with more strikeouts than hits, a year after a record number of home runs. “You’re facing power pitchers right now, so that’s kind of what you expect: hit-or-miss with these guys,” Boston’s J.D. Martinez said. Martinez, who leads the majors in homers and RBIs, singled and struck out in his two at-bats. Orioles shortstop Manny Machado had fun, pulling out a camera to snap a selfie at second base after Matt Kemp doubled. By Wednesday, they could be teammates — Baltimore seems ready to trade Machado, with the Dodgers and Phillies in the mix. “I’m just trying to enjoy this moment with the American League guys,” Machado told FOX in the dugout. “If this is the last time (in a Baltimore uniform), hopefully I treated them well and did everything I can for the organization.” Major League Baseball, meanwhile, seemed to take a selfie of itself, with all the homers and strikeouts. This was MLB 2.018, an update that’s not appealing to everyone. “Some of us are going to get them and they’re going to get us. It’s just how it goes,” Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman said. Declining attendance is a concern, and the sport’s owners worry that slower games with less action on the bases are taking a toll. A day after hometown star Bryce Harper electrified the crowd by winning the Home Run Derby, it was eerily quiet for most of the evening at Nationals Park. Harper didn’t excite the fans, either, fanning in his two at-bats. The popular Presidents Race drew the biggest cheer in the middle innings, with the big-headed George Washington character prevailing. The only thing missing was a bevy of defensive shifts. Overloaded infields are the norm now, Hinch and NL manager Dave Roberts of the Dodgers pretty much played things straight up. Bregman and Springer homered off losing pitcher Ross Stripling of the Dodgers — that’s kind of how last year ended, too, with Houston battering Los Angeles pitchers in the World Series. Bregman smiled all around the bases and earned MVP honors. He’s familiar with this city, his grandfather having been the general counsel for the old Washington Senators. “My dad grew up on Ted Williams’ lap. So to see Ted Williams Most Valuable Player on this trophy is pretty special,” Bregman said. Segura’s three-run homer in the eighth landed in the bullpen and broke a 2-all tie. The Seattle infielder popped up the previous pitch, but Votto, Cincinnati’s reliable first baseman, dropped it for an error as he approached the dugout railing. Segura then connected off Hader. Judge homered in the second off Scherzer, the Nationals ace who became the first reigning Cy Young Award winner to start an All-Star Game in his home park. There was another judge at the park besides the Yankees slugger — Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. “It’s tough to barrel up some balls when you’ve got some of the best pitchers in the game throwing against you and you don’t really have a scouting report. You’re just going up there swinging,” Judge said. Trout kept up his All-Star excellence, tagging Mets righty Jacob deGrom. A two-time MVP in his event, Trout is 7 for 15 with five extra-base hits and three walks in these games. Diaz wound up with the win and Toronto’s J.A. Happ got his first pro save after giving up Votto’s homer. The AL won for the 18th time in 21 games played to a decision, and leads the series 44-43-2. Not since the early 1960s has the AL been ahead.<doc-sep>
WASHINGTON – In his All-Star Game debut, Twins pitcher Jose Berrios got the chance to face a close friend as well as a Puerto Rican baseball legend. The Twins’ only representative at the Midsummer Classic, Berrios was the fifth pitcher used by American League manager A.J. Hinch on Tuesday night and turned in a scoreless inning that was not without drama. “Awesome,” Berrios said of his experience. “You know a lot of people enjoy the game, watching us play baseball, so we’re putting all our effort, all our passion and 100 percent every time so they enjoy it tonight.” Berrios entered the game in the fifth inning with the AL leading 2-1 on homers by Aaron Judge and Mike Trout. Sporting a video camera on his cap as he jogged In from the bullpen, he spoke briefly on the mound with catcher Salvador Perez of the Royals before starting his warmups, and the footage was shown on the Fox telecast “I said, ‘Hey, say hi to the camera’ and he do it,” Berrios said, “and the people watching love it.” With the winds picking up in advance of a storm, Berrios got Cubs catcher Wilson Contreras to ground to shortstop Manny Machado on a 2-0 fastball. Facing close friend Javier Baez of the Chicago Cubs, Berrios’ first pitch – a 97 mph fastball — was outside and went to the backstop. “The All-Star Game is one day a year, so I’m gonna throw 100 percent,” he said. “So I just throw the ball at the plate and see what happens.” He recovered and got Baez to fly to right fielder Mookie Betts on a 96 mph fastball, and the two were seen talking to each other as the play ended. “He was laughing and smiling,” Berrios said. “He’s my (future) brother-in-law, so I enjoy watching him play baseball.” After walking Nolan Arenado of the Rockies on four pitches, Berrios faced another fellow Puerto Rican, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, a nine-time all-star. Arenado launched a first-pitch fastball to straight-away center, where it was hauled in by Trout on the warning track with the crowd on its feet. Related Articles Twins feel like ‘we’re hitting that good stride right now’ Twins cap grueling stretch with sweep of Orioles Luis Arraez lands on Twins’ injured list with shoulder strain Rob Refsnyder’s big day helps lead Twins past Orioles Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler return to Twins’ starting lineup; Nelson Cruz, Luis Arraez out “Scared me a bit, but I wanted to throw a fastball for both guys and if they hit a homer everybody enjoys it, too,” Berrios said. The 24-year-old Berrios was joined in Washington by his wife and three children, who were at the game. He got to watch Baez compete in Monday night’s Home Run Derby, where the right-handed hitter lost in the first round to lefty Max Muncy of the Dodgers, 17-16. “It’s tough,” Berrios said before Tuesday’s game. “I thought last night the ball carried more to right field than left field. He competed, he hit 16 homers, but the other guy beat him.”