Right-hander Jake Odorizzi signed a two-year contract with the Houston Astros on Monday.
An All-Star with Minnesota in 2019, Odorizzi was limited to four starts last season because of injuries. He was 0-1 with a 6.59 ERA for the Twins during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Odorizzi was selected to his first All-Star team in 2019 when he made 30 starts and went a career-best 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA. He had 178 strikeouts and allowed 139 hits that season for the Twins.
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi looks at his pitching hand as he leaves the baseball game with a trainer during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, in Chicago. (AP PhotoCharles Rex Arbogast)
He’ll join an Astros rotation that entered this year without ace Justin Verlander, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, and lost Framber Valdez indefinitely to a broken finger this spring.
The 30-year-old Odorizzi spent the last three seasons with the Twins and has also pitched for Tampa Bay and Kansas City during his nine-year career. He is 62-56 with a 3.92 ERA in 195 appearances (192 starts).
He’s won at least 10 games four times and has four seasons with at least 30 starts.
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi, left, is checked on by a trainer after getting hit by a batted ball during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. Odorizzi left the game. (AP PhotoOrlin Wagner)
Houston placed reliever Pedro Báez on the injured list to make roster room for Odorizzi.
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