According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Houston Astros have come to terms with Jake Odorizzi on a two-year deal that includes a player option for the 2023 season.
Odorizzi spent the last three seasons with the Twins compiling a 22-18 record and 4.11 ERA. The right-hander enjoyed the best season of his career in 2019 going 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA.
Coming off his first All-Star appearance, the Twins signed Odorizzi to a one-year, $18.7 million qualifying tender last season, but he battled injuries and went 0-1 with a 6.59 ERA in four starts.
Odorizzi’s 2020 season gave some optimism that the Twins would sign the 31-year-old at a lower cost, but Derek Falvey said the Twins were “done with big-ticket contracts” after signing Nelson Cruz.
Falvey doubled down on those statements during an MLB Network interview earlier this week.
“We know Jake contributed exceptionally well for us over the last few seasons, and certainly we wish him well,” Falvey said. “For us, our focus is on the players who are internally in camp at this point. We feel really good about the pitching we have already.”
With Odorizzi’s deal in the can, the Twins will move forward with a pitching rotation that will include Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios, Michael Pineda, and J.A. Happ. The fifth spot of the rotation is up for grabs during spring training however between Randy Dobnak, Devin Smeltzer, Lewis Thorpe and free-agent acquisition Matt Shoemaker.
