Prior to the 4pm deadline to decide on the qualifying offer
presented to Jake Odorizzi by the Minnesota Twins, a decision was made. The 2019
All Star made the choice to return to Wes Johnson and Rocco Badelli’s staff on
a one-year pact. This one will be lucrative at $17.8 million, but in the end
all sides win.
In 2020 Odorizzi will be just 30 years old and is coming off
a career year. He had a mechanics breakdown and blister issue mid-season for
the Twins but bookended that performance with excellence. He was tied to draft
pick compensation in this cycle, and though that would have worked in Minnesota’s
favor, it wasn’t going to earn him any favors in the form of a larger paycheck.
Odorizzi could have returned to Minnesota on a multi-year deal (or went
elsewhere) but instead is banking on himself with time to cash in.
The Twins had only Jose Berrios under team control for 2020
among rotation options. Needing to beef up the unit, the front office
immediately suggested that they would be targeting impact pitching this
offseason. Bringing back an All-Star you’re familiar with is hardly a bad place
to start. Knowing that they can also build off this foundation is more a relief
than having four uncertainties.
I still believe that the Twins need to sign someone better
than Berrios and Odorizzi, while acquiring a second arm with a value able to
slot in between them. The open market has ample arms that can be paid to top
the rotation, and dangling pieces to acquire that 3rd starter makes
a whole lot of sense.
When the dust settles, we’ll know how this decision worked
out for both sides. Odorizzi is hoping to turn a second strong performance into
a three or four year deal that would push over $50 million. If he’s able to put
up a repeat performance working with coaches he’s grown accustomed to, then
there’s no denying the payday will come. Given the spending flexibility
Minnesota has, even the large AAV does little to hurt their overall building
blueprint for 2020. The player is taking all the risk here, and both sides come
up looking rosy.
Welcome back to Twins Territory Jake, it’s like you never
left.
