The Houston Astros alleviated some of their pitching concerns over the weekend by agreeing to a two-year deal with All-Star right-hander Jake Odorizzi.

The financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed, but the deal reportedly comes with a player option for the 2023 MLB season.

Odorizzi entered free agency after a struggling 2020 in which he managed just four starts and a 6.59 ERA while dealing with rib injuries and blisters. This influenced his market value significantly and caused him to remain available longer than anyone expected.

Still, it isn’t hard to see why the Astros decided to take a gamble. Odorizzi is just one season removed from an All-Star campaign with the Minnesota Twins in which he had a 15–7 record alongside 3.51 ERA and career-high 178 strikeouts.

The 30-year-old pitcher is expected to be slotted high in Houston’s rotation, filling the void left by ace Justin Verlander and presumably Framber Valdez. Verlander will be out for 2021 after getting Tommy John’s surgery back in September, while Valdez fractured a finger on his pitching hand during Spring Training.

Jake Odorizzi has a 62-56 career record with 3.92 ERA and 995 strikeouts. He was selected in the first round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers but left the franchise before making his majors debut. Odorizzi played his first MLB game with the Kansas City Royals and later suited up for the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins.

The post Jake Odorizzi Joins the Astros on a 2-Year Contract appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Despite having an injury-riddled 2020 MLB season, right-hander Jake Odorizzi reportedly isn’t ready to reduce his contract demands in free agency.

In a recent piece for The Athletic, MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal revealed that Odorizzi is asking for a three-year deal from interested teams. The 30-year-old also expects to command a figure between $36 million and $42 million overall.

Odorizzi played in just four games in 2020 and had a career-worst 6.69 ERA.  However, he’s just one year removed from a career-best season in which he had a 15-7 record, 3.51 ERA, and 178 strikeouts. 

While no team made a similar offer just yet, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported on Tuesday that the Boston Red Sox are seriously interested in Odorizzi and are making him one of their priorities in the free agency.

If Jake Odorizzi ends up in Boston, he would most likely be at the top of the team’s rotation. The Red Sox badly need a reliable arm for 2021 with the team ending 25th in the league in starter-ERA last season and 29th in innings pitched.

Odorizzi made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2012, where he played for a year before embarking on stints with the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins. He has a 62-29 record as a starter with a 3.92 ERA and 995 strikeouts.

The post All-Star RHP Jake Odorizzi’s Demands in Free Agency Revealed appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Houston Astros alleviated some of their pitching concerns over the weekend by agreeing to a two-year deal with All-Star right-hander Jake Odorizzi.

The financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed, but the deal reportedly comes with a player option for the 2023 MLB season.

Odorizzi entered free agency after a struggling 2020 in which he managed just four starts and a 6.59 ERA while dealing with rib injuries and blisters. This influenced his market value significantly and caused him to remain available longer than anyone expected.

Still, it isn’t hard to see why the Astros decided to take a gamble. Odorizzi is just one season removed from an All-Star campaign with the Minnesota Twins in which he had a 15–7 record alongside 3.51 ERA and career-high 178 strikeouts.

The 30-year-old pitcher is expected to be slotted high in Houston’s rotation, filling the void left by ace Justin Verlander and presumably Framber Valdez. Verlander will be out for 2021 after getting Tommy John’s surgery back in September, while Valdez fractured a finger on his pitching hand during Spring Training.

Jake Odorizzi has a 62-56 career record with 3.92 ERA and 995 strikeouts. He was selected in the first round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers but left the franchise before making his majors debut. Odorizzi played his first MLB game with the Kansas City Royals and later suited up for the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins.

The post Jake Odorizzi Joins the Astros on a 2-Year Contract appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Despite having an injury-riddled 2020 MLB season, right-hander Jake Odorizzi reportedly isn’t ready to reduce his contract demands in free agency.

In a recent piece for The Athletic, MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal revealed that Odorizzi is asking for a three-year deal from interested teams. The 30-year-old also expects to command a figure between $36 million and $42 million overall.

Odorizzi played in just four games in 2020 and had a career-worst 6.69 ERA.  However, he’s just one year removed from a career-best season in which he had a 15-7 record, 3.51 ERA, and 178 strikeouts. 

While no team made a similar offer just yet, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported on Tuesday that the Boston Red Sox are seriously interested in Odorizzi and are making him one of their priorities in the free agency.

If Jake Odorizzi ends up in Boston, he would most likely be at the top of the team’s rotation. The Red Sox badly need a reliable arm for 2021 with the team ending 25th in the league in starter-ERA last season and 29th in innings pitched.

Odorizzi made his MLB debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2012, where he played for a year before embarking on stints with the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins. He has a 62-29 record as a starter with a 3.92 ERA and 995 strikeouts.

The post All-Star RHP Jake Odorizzi’s Demands in Free Agency Revealed appeared first on SportzBonanza.