*Photo from Pioneer Press*
After losing starter Framber Valdez to injury for a currently unknown period of time, the Houston Astros turned to the best pitcher on the market. The Astros have signed RHP Jake Odorizzi to a two year, $20.25 million deal, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. If he makes 30 appearances combined between the two seasons, Odorizzi will make $24 million. Other incentives push the deal to $30 million. Odorizzi also gets a $6 million signing bonus, and a player option for 2023 worth $6.5 million, with a $3.25 million buyout. The Astros have confirmed the deal.
Odorizzi was limited to just 4 starts in 2020 after accepting the one year qualifying offer from the Minnesota Twins, posting a 0-1 record with a 6.59 ERA, throwing 13 2/3 innings in his 4 starts. In his 9 big league seasons, Odorizzi has a 62-56 record with a 3.92 ERA, throwing 1,042 1/3 innings in 195 games, all but 3 being starts, split between the Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Rays, and the Twins.
In Odorizzi's last full season, 2019, he was selected to the all star game with a 15-7 record and a 3.51 ERA, striking out 178 hitters in 30 starts. Odorizzi is hoping to bring that form to the Astros, where his signing forms a deadly top 3 in the rotation, joining forces with Zack Greinke and Lance McCullers. This is the first starting pitcher signed by the Astros this winter.
The Astros are down Justin Verlander for the season, and with Valdez possibly out for the season after fracturing his left hand ring finger on a comebacker, the necessity for another starting pitcher was needed, which led to talks increasing with Odorizzi, who was willing to wait out teams through spring training until he found the deal he was looking for.
Odorizzi joins Ryne Stanek and Steve Cishek as signings by the Astros and GM James Click, who was with the Rays when Odorizzi was, this offseason. Odorizzi joins a rotation that includes Greinke, McCullers, Jose Urquidy, and Cristian Javier.
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