StaTuesday: All-Star Berrios WHIP-ing his way into Twins history

Jose Berrios, the All-Star.

It’s an attribution the Twins hoped for when they selected him 32nd overall in the 2012 draft, just 30 picks after taking flashy outfielder Byron Buxton.

Six years later, the 24-year-old has registered one of the best starts to a season in franchise history. Only a trio of pitchers from the 1960s -- Jim Perry, Dean Chance and Jim Merritt -- as well as Francisco Liriano (in his unhittable rookie campaign) posted a better WHIP in the first half of a season than Berrios in 2018.

If he can keep things rolling in the second half of the season, Berrios would be one of five starting pitchers in Twins history (Johan Santana and Merritt did it twice) to finish a season with a WHIP below 1.00 (minimum 470 batters faced).

­* Season in progress

As the game goes on, “La Makina” gets better. He’s one of three pitchers this season to record multiple complete games, joining Seattle’s James Paxton (yes, the pitcher who was “attacked” by a bald eagle on opening day) and Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco. And if he’s pitching in the seventh inning or later, Berrios has been practically untouchable. A 0.63 WHIP in the final three innings tops all pitchers in Twins history, and it’s not even close.

* Season in progress

Berrios’ WHIP stacks up against today’s stars as well. There are just seven American League pitchers with 100+ innings pitched and a WHIP below 1.00. Six of the seven were named All-Stars this week, with only Sean Manaea, Oakland’s 26-year-old left-hander, left out of the midsummer classic.