Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
The Mets have been linked to starting pitcher Trevor Bauer heavily the last couple weeks, but the team is considering a Plan B in case a deal doesn’t materialize.
According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Mets are a possibility to sign right-handed pitcher Jake Odorizzi if they fan on signing Bauer. The Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Minnesota Twins have also been in contact with the Illinois native.
Odorizzi, 31 in March, is the second best arm left on the free agent market behind Bauer. The Mets were linked to him earlier in the offseason, but talks simmered down as the offseason progressed.
The nine-year veteran has spent the last three years with the Twins after a February, 2018 trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Odorizzi pitched in just four games during the shortened 2020 season, but had a career best year in 2019, appearing in his first All-Star Game and logging 4.3 fWAR.
For his career, Odorizzi owns a 3.92 ERA, 4.12 FIP and 4.43 xFIP.
At the dish, Odorizzi isn’t going to blow batters away as his fastball velocity during his last full season was in the 23rd percentile, while his fastball spin was in the 39th percentile, according to Statcast.
However, Odorizzi does find a way to rack up a decent amount of strikeouts, as he has 995 in 1,042.1 career innings. His whiff rate in 2019 was also solid, ranking in the 67th percentile, and his strikeout percentage in the 73rd percentile.
MLB Trade Rumors projected at the beginning of the winter that Odorizzi would secure a three-year, $39 million deal. If the Mets pivoted to him instead of Bauer, it would allow them to also fill other needs around the diamond, such as in center field and at third base.
Odorizzi is represented by Excel Sports Management.
