The Blue Jays announced Tuesday that they’ve designated lefty Travis Bergen for assignment. Toronto needed to open a roster spot after this morning’s four-player trade, which sent righty Adam Cimber and outfielder Corey Dickerson from Miami to Toronto in exchange for infielder Joe Panik and minor league right-hander Andrew McInvale.
Bergen, 27, has a pristine 1.69 ERA in 10 2/3 innings this year, but the rest of his numbers don’t paint as rosy a picture. He’s yielded five hits (one homer), walked eight batters and plunked another pair while recording just six strikeouts. Bergen has faced 46 hitters this season and walked or hit 22 percent of them.
This marks the third season in which the left-handed Bergen has logged some Major League time. He’s totaled 38 2/3 frames of MLB work and notched a solid-looking 3.96 ERA, but a 20.9 percent strikeout rate and sky-high 15.6 percent walk rate are both notable red flags.
To his credit, Bergen has been excellent in the minors — when he’s been healthy enough to take the mound. Despite being a 2015 draftee, he’s only totaled 109 1/3 innings of minor league ball. Bergen tossed just five innings after being drafted in 2015 and spent the rest of that season on the injured list. He then had Tommy John surgery in 2016, which limited him to five innings that season and 18 frames in his return effort in 2017.
Bergen worked a healthy and dominant season in 2018, logging 56 1/3 innings with a 0.95 ERA, a 32.0 percent strikeout rate and a 6.5 percent walk rate between the Jays’ Class-A Advanced and Double-A affiliates. Toronto still left him off the 40-man roster, and the Giants took him in that December’s Rule 5 Draft. Bergen’s Rule 5 status in 2019 further limited his innings, and San Francisco eventually returned him to the Jays in August — shortly before the minor league season ended.
There were, of course, no minor league games for Bergen to work in 2020. He spent the summer at the Jays’ alternate training site before being traded to Arizona in return for Robbie Ray. The D-backs designated him for assignment over the winter — the trade of Ray was more about dumping the remainder of his salary at a time when he was struggling badly and had little trade value — and the Jays reacquired him for cash.
The end result of all this is a pitcher who, despite being six-plus years removed from his draft date, has just 148 professional innings under his belt. Bergen has a 1.81 ERA and 31.1 percent strikeout rate in the minors, but he’s also set to turn 28 in October and has far less experience than most in his situation would. That said, based on the minor league numbers and the fact that he has multiple minor league options remaining, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another club take a chance on Bergen — even with the spotty command and lack of experience. The Jays will have a week to trade him or try to pass him through outright waivers.
Please Dombrowski…
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
Why though he’s been solid actually
He has more walks than strikeouts… generally not what one would call “solid”
8 walks, two hit batters and only 6ks in 10.2 innings, those numbers don’t tend to age well but who knows.
He walks a batter per inning and throws one pitch. It’s actually shocking his ERA is so low.
One average, spin driven pitch that he can’t throw for strikes.
.
Jays believe in Chatwood more than Bergen. That’s the decision it should have come down to.
I can easily see Bergen getting claimed.
I didn’t realize Bergen was still on the MLB roster. When did he last pitch? I feel like the trade is good for Toronto. Doesn’t raise the ceiling of the bullpen but raises the floor a bit.
Good way to put it. Hope they continue that trend
He wasn’t. He was in AAA.
Ahh thank you!
Can’t believe Toronto couldn’t manage to trade him for another Robbie Ray.
Were there no GMs willing to trade a strong rotation piece for this future ERA king? He still has minor league options! What’s not to love?
Will let coolstorybro handle this
coolstorybro
Bergen will get claimed and be back with the Jays by the time that next year’s Spring Training starts up.
Sounds like an imminent Nat to me,
One down, about 4 relievers to go.
Who was the player to be named for the Pirates/Phillies Corey Dickerson trade in 2019?
Not entirely sure but I think it was a PTBNL or cash deal and ended up being cash
Why the hell didn’t the Marlins acquire him in the trade this morning?
They didn’t want him ?
Your logic has won this round, good sir.
Jays “We will give you Andrew McInvale for Dickerson/Cimber”
Marlins “Deal”
Jays : “Hang on, We will even throw in Travis Bergen. Hell we are gonna DFA him after this deal and you might as well take him too”
Marlins “we will throw you guys cash if we don’t have to take Bergen”