The first domino in MLB’s offseason pitching market has fallen. Starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi is reportedly accepting the Minnesota Twins qualifying offer and will rejoin the team for the 2020 season.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Odorizzi accepted the team’s $17.8 million qualifying offer on Thursday.
It’s a significant boost for the Twins at the start of an offseason where addressing the rotation is the top priority. Odorizzi pitched very well in the middle of Minnesota’s rotation with a 3.51 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a career-high 178 strikeouts in 159 innings.
The move also makes sense for Odorizzi. He secures a contract in a free agency that could be drawn out into 2020. Furthermore, he will now not be eligible to receive a qualifying offer next offseason and can hit free agency without any draft-pick penalty assigned to the team that signs him to a long-term deal.