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Molitor: Twins 'doing the right thing' in shutting down Berrios

HOUSTON -- On his weekly radio show Sunday morning, Twins manager Paul Molitor fielded mostly happy phone calls.

The one exception: Jose Berrios and the decision to shut down the organization's top pitching prospect after wrapping up a minor-league strikeout title on Saturday night.

Berrios, 21, finished at 166 1/3 innings, 18.8 percent more than his previous career high of 140 last season.

"He's right where they want him to be -- roughly," Molitor said.

A September call-up, even in a relief role, would have meant "extending him past what we thought was the right amount (of innings) for him to pitch this year at his age," Molitor said.