As many of his peers quickly decline qualifying offers to become free agents, starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi is reportedly considering accepting the $17.8 million qualifying offer extended to him by the Minnesota Twins.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Odorizzi is giving heavy consideration to accepting the offer and rejoining Minnesota’s rotation for another season before hitting free agency next offseason.
It’s a move that could potentially provide Odorizzi with several benefits. Not only would he receive a one-year, $17.8 million deal, but it would also allow him to avoid being tied to potential draft-pick compensation next year.
Odorizzi excelled in Minnesota’s rotation during the 2019 season with a 3.51 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a career-high 178 strikeouts across 159 innings.
It could also be beneficial for Odorizzi to accept a deal early rather than needing to wait until potentially January or February, when the top pitchers will finally be signed and then teams would explore secondary targets.
If Odorizzi repeats his success next season, he could then hit free agency for his age-31 season and land a lucrative, multi-year deal with clubs not having to sacrifice a draft pick for signing him.