Jake Odorizzi to Accept Qualifying Offer

It is decision day for Major League Baseball players that were given the qualifying offer. Teams were able to offer certain potential free agents a one year contract at $17.8 million. The team would receive draft pick compensation if the player declined the offer and entered the free-agent market. It has been reported by Jeff Passan (via Twitter) that Jake Odorizzi has decided to accept the one year offer from the Minnesota Twins.

Jake Is Back in the Twin Cities

It is clear that the Minnesota Twins need to strengthen their rotation if they want to take the next step. Bringing Odorizzi back is a step in the right direction for the Twins. Odorizzi had the best season of his young career. He posted a 3.51 ERA and was a steady presence in the rotation for the Twins. Odorizzi posted the best K/9 of his career in 2019 with a 10.1. He also kept the ball in the ballpark with an HR/9 of 0.9. 

Odorizzi will get the benefit of getting a decent payday while also improving upon his success in 2019. He will head into the 2020 offseason as a 31-year-old. If he can post equally as good of numbers, or better, he can likely get a larger payday. He would not be subject to the qualifying offer at that point, and would not go the way that a Dallas Keuchel would have gone. Had he entered this free-agent market, it is likely the draft pick compensation would have lowered his earning potential, or stopped teams from signing him altogether.

The Twins will have to look high and low to upgrade their pitching rotation, and another full year of Jake Odorizzi will certainly help. If he can improve upon his 2019 numbers, it could prove to be a bargain for the Twins.