Odorizzi accepts Twins' qualifying offer
Right-handed starter Jake Odorizzi accepted a one-year, $17.8-million qualifying offer to remain with the Minnesota Twins, the team announced Thursday.
Odorizzi, 29, is one of 10 players who were tendered qualifying offers this winter. He joins Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu as the only players to accept their deals.
By accepting the deal this winter, Odorizzi will be ineligible to receive another qualifying offer next offseason. He'll therefore enter free agency in 2020 unencumbered by draft-pick compensation, joining a market set to include Trevor Bauer, Robbie Ray, and James Paxton, among others.
Odorizzi also avoids competing with the members of a star-studded 2019 free-agent class that includes Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Madison Bumgarner, and Hyun-Jin Ryu.
The right-hander became an All-Star for the first time in 2019, authoring a 3.51 ERA and 3.36 FIP over 30 starts and helping the Twins win their first divisional title since 2010.