Fansided

Top 25 MLB free agents for 2019

By Joshua Sadlock

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Hannah Foslien/Getty Images /

17. Jake Odorizzi

All-Star right-hander Jake Odorizzi certainly picked the right year to have the best season of his eight-year career. The 29-year-old won 15 games for the Minnesota Twins with an ERA+ of 131 and struck out 10.1 per-nine, a new career high. There had been hints at this type of potential with Odorizzi, but he had yet to put it together for a whole season.

Odorizzi will enter free agency as a proven mid-rotation starter who has mostly dodged injuries throughout his career. He has made 28-32 starts each season and has a career record of 62-55. Odorizzi is durable in the sense that he will take the ball every fifth day, but is not exactly an innings eater. He has not thrown more than 200 innings in a season and has averaged 165 on 30 starts for his six full seasons in the big leagues.

Efficiency has held Odorizzi back throughout his career, as he has averaged fewer than six innings per start but nearly 100 pitches per outing. He always has to work around walks, but is not typically done in by home runs. Odorizzi has held opposing hitters to a .236/.303/.406 line. He is best suited to get through a lineup twice before turning it over to the bullpen.

The Twins will need to keep their rotation together behind ace Jose Berrios to fend off the Cleveland Indians again next season, so keeping Odorizzi in Minnesota makes sense. He is a solid number-two starter to Berrios and pitched very well at Target Field. Odorizzi should fall right in the price range where a team like the Twins can afford to match any reasonable offers.

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