According to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi, free agent right-hander Jake Odorizzi is in good health and actively seeking a contract. Recently, Odorizzi showcased his skills in front of representatives from approximately one-third of the teams in the league. The Minnesota Twins were among the clubs in attendance, although their level of interest remains unclear.
Odorizzi, who will turn 34 next month, missed the entire previous season due to various circumstances. After exercising a player option, he was traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Texas Rangers at the end of the 2022 season. Atlanta agreed to cover $10 million of Odorizzi’s $12.5 million salary, leaving Texas responsible for $2.5 million. Unfortunately, Odorizzi experienced arm fatigue during Spring Training and ultimately underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, prematurely ending his season.
Given the setbacks of his lost season and shoulder injury, Odorizzi’s potential offers may be limited. However, some teams might view this as an opportunity to acquire him at a lower cost if they are optimistic about his recovery. Throughout his career, Odorizzi has established himself as a reliable mid-rotation pitcher, making 241 appearances since his debut in 2012, with 237 of those being starts. In his 1,253 1/3 innings pitched, he has maintained a 3.99 earned run average while striking out 22.2% of batters faced and walking 8.1%.
Numerous teams across the league are dealing with tighter budgets this offseason due to uncertainties surrounding broadcast revenue. The Minnesota Twins are among those teams, as they aim to reduce their payroll from last year’s $153 million to a range of $125-140 million for the upcoming season. As of now, their payroll sits at $124 million, leaving their starting rotation noticeably weakened. Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, and Tyler Mahle have all departed via free agency, while Chris Paddack’s return from Tommy John surgery provides some compensation. Additionally, the Twins acquired Anthony DeSclafani from the Seattle Mariners. However, the overall quality of their rotation is not as impressive as it was a year ago. Recent reports suggest that the Twins are still actively seeking to bolster their starting pitching options.
Having previously played for the Twins from 2018 to 2020, Odorizzi is a familiar face to the organization. If the Twins believe he can regain his previous form, signing him to a low-cost contract would be a logical move. While the Twins were one of the teams present to witness Odorizzi’s recent showcase, there are numerous other teams that could potentially be interested in his services.
The San Diego Padres have also been cutting costs and have lost several pitchers, including Blake Snell, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Rich Hill, and Nick Martínez, to free agency. Although Snell is still available, the team’s tight budget makes it unlikely for them to re-sign him or pursue any other high-profile pitchers. On the other hand, the Tampa Bay Rays are operating with a record-high payroll and could benefit from additional pitching depth. Like the Twins, the Rays are familiar with Odorizzi from his time with the team between 2013 and 2017. Almost any team could benefit from bolstering their pitching depth, especially considering the inevitable injuries that occur during Spring Training.
Naturally, the main concern surrounding Odorizzi is his health. In addition to his recent shoulder procedure and extended absence from the game, he has dealt with other injuries in the past. In 2021, he spent time on the injured list due to a right pronator muscle strain and right foot soreness, while the 2022 season saw him miss games due to discomfort in his lower left leg. In both of those seasons, Odorizzi pitched just over 100 innings. Due to these injuries and the impact of the pandemic, he has not been able to handle a full starter’s workload since 2019. However, prior to that, he consistently pitched between 140 and 190 innings for six consecutive years, with his ERA ranging from 3.35 to 4.49 during that span.
According to the Source mlbtraderumors.com