Starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi has had an up-and-down season for the struggling Tampa Bay Rays, but the 26-year-old righty could potentially be on the move with the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaching.
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Report: Odorizzi Among Marlins’ Potential Targets
Wednesday, July 13
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Odorizzi is among the options the playoff-contending Miami Marlins are considering to bolster their starting rotation.
Odorizzi has a 3-5 record this season with a 4.47 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 98 strikeouts in 104.2 innings.
Those numbers are in stark contrast to his breakout 2015 campaign, which saw him go 9-9 with a 3.35 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 150 strikeouts in 169.1 innings.
While bad luck can often play a role when production changes radically for a pitcher from one year to the next, Odorizzi has a FIP of 4.39 this season, per Baseball-Reference.com, which suggests his stats are a true representation of how he has performed.
Although Odorizzi is having a down year, he is a strikeout pitcher with potential, so he could be an excellent fit in the middle of Miami’s rotation if the asking price from Tampa is reasonable.
The Marlins have a true ace in Jose Fernandez, but there are question marks elsewhere on the staff. None of Wei-Yin Chen, Adam Conley and Tom Koehler has put forth dynamite efforts behind Fernandez.
Odorizzi would add some much-needed depth as Miami desperately clings to the second wild-card spot in the National League.
While Odorizzi isn’t necessarily a game-changer, it takes more than one quality pitcher to make a deep playoff run. He could be a strong supporting cast member behind Fernandez if he manages to recapture some of his 2015 magic.
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