Minnesota Twins: Jake Odorizzi bets on himself for 2020
As we enter the 2020 Hot Stove season, Jake Odorizzi is not going anywhere. Has chosen to sign the qualifying offer with the Minnesota Twins.
Jake Odorizzi is the latest pitcher to bet himself, as he accepted the Qualifying Offer from the Minnesota Twins.
To avoid a similar situation to Dallas Keuchel last year, Odorizzi signed the one-year, $17.8 million contract, putting himself in a position to become a free agent again after the 2020 season.
“When it came down to it, the decision came down to me pretty much betting on myself and returning to a place I know very well and enjoyed and continue to improve on what I did last year and then re-entering the market next offseason with a different class,” Odorizzi said Friday, the day after he accepted the offer.
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The Minnesota Twins won the American League Central Division last year.
Odorizzi spent his last two seasons in Minnesota. 2019 was the best season of his career, being named to his first All-Star team. Through 30 starts, he went 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA, striking out 178 batters over 159 innings.
This year’s free-agent starting pitcher class is stacked, including Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Zack Wheeler, and Madison Bumgarner.
Next year’s class, is a less accomplished group, headlined by Trevor Bauer, James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, Marcus Stroman, and Jake Arrieta.
This move is similar to Hyun-Jin Ryu signing the Qualifying Offer last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It is unknown how much money Ryu will get this offseason but it is certainly more than it would have been last season after his strong 2019 campaign.
If Odorizzi puts together another All-Star-caliber season in 2020, he will be in a better position for a more lucrative deal next offseason.
The 29-year-old was insistent on getting a deal done. He believes that there is a chance of getting an extension done during the offseason.
Since a player can only be given the qualifying offer once, Odorizzi has a more attractive free agency next year because he is not tied to a draft pick.
Royals add depth with Matt Reynolds. dark. Next
Odorizzi will be 30 in March. He is hopeful to stay in Minnesota, sign a multi-year deal and build off their 2019 season, looking to go further into the playoffs in 2020.