The New York Mets‘ need for reliable starting pitchers is evident. After Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, and David Peterson, the team has a struggling Steven Matz and a rehabbing Noah Syndergaard. They need at least a couple of big-time arms to fill their rotation in the first few months of the 2021 campaign. As of now, it is not clear which role Matz and Seth Lugo will fulfill.
Of course, most of the New York Mets’ fanbase is currently dreaming about the team signing Trevor Bauer. That could, without a doubt, give them one of the best rotations in the National League and maybe MLB. However, the team needs to consider other options in case they strike out with the controversial former Red.
According to Buster Olney of ESPN, there are four teams showing an early interest in free agent right-hander Jake Odorizzi: The Toronto Blue Jays, the San Francisco Giants, the Minnesota Twins, and the Mets.
Odorizzi could fit in the Mets’ project
So there you have it: Jake Odorizzi is the latest free agent hurler to be connected with the new Steve Cohen project. As you know, Cohen was introduced last week as the new Mets’ owner and is planning to make the team really competitive in the short and long-term.
Odorizzi is 30 years old, and when healthy, has the ceiling of a mid-rotation starter and could fit in nicely with the Mets. In the 2020 season, though, he could only make four starts due to a chest injury along with a blister. Injuries took a toll on his performance and he finished with a 6.59 ERA in 13.2 frames.
However, he has a 3.92 ERA and a 4.12 FIP in his career, covering 1042.1 innings. He was particularly effective in 2019 as a member of the Twins, pitching to a 3.59 ERA and 178/53 K/BB ratio in 159 frames over 30 starts.
There is a strong possibility that, given the uncertain market, the owners’ revenue losses, and other COVID-19 consequences, Odorizzi has to settle for a short-term, ‘prove-it’ deal and re-enter the market in 2022. That could also work for the win-now Mets.
Will the Mets’ new regime swing a deal for the talented righty?