MLB Rumors: Jake Odorizzi, Minnesota Twins free agent starting pitcher, is foregoing the opportunity to test the market and is accepting the qualifying offer, per Ken Rosenthal. Odorizzi will receive $17.8 million guaranteed for 2020, and will then be eligible to re-enter the market next year with no draft pick compensation limiting his market.
Odorizzi had a career best 3.6 bWAR last year, and, turning 30 in March, he will be relatively young when he hits the market again after 2020. He was someone who could have found themselves in a difficult spot this offseason, given there are a number of free agent starting pitchers on the market, and given he had two below-average years in 2017 and 2018.