Toronto Blue Jays reportedly showing interest in Jake Odorizzi

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly one of four teams expressing interest in free agent pitcher Jake Odorizzi.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Toronto Blue Jays are once again showing interest in Jake Odorizzi. The Blue Jays brain trust were linked to the hurler last season as well, however, Odorizzi opted to accept the qualifying offer from the Minnesota Twins.

The 30-year old is made just four starts this past season due to an assortment of injuries that included a back strain, chest contusion, and blister issues. In 13.2 innings of work, the right-hander got tagged for 10 runs including four round-trippers.

Odorizzi may want his next future employer to access his value on his 2019 campaign where he made 30 starts and posted a 3.51 earned run average along with a 3.6 WAR.

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Olney opined that along with the Jays, his former team in Minnesota as well as the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets all have a varying degree of interest in the hurler. Odorizzi earned $17.8 million in 2020, however, he may be hard-pressed to get that amount on a multi-year pact this offseason.

The Blue Jays have already inked free-agent pitcher Robbie Ray to a one-year/ $8 million dollar contract thus far this offseason. General Manager Ross Atkins joined MLB Network Radio yesterday stating that he would like to add one, two, or three really good players this offseason.

There are not many difference-maker pitchers available on the open market this offseason especially seeing that both Marcus Stroman and Kevin Gausman opted to accept their qualifying offers from their respective teams.

MLB Trade Rumors projected Odorizzi to sign a three-year/ $39 million dollar pact with Toronto in their Top 50 MLB Free Agent Predictions. Odorizzi is ranked as the 11th best available free agent and the best pitcher behind Trevor Bauer, Stroman, Gausman, and Masahiro Tanaka.

Odorizzi played for manager Charlie Montoyo in 2013 while in Triple-A Charlotte and then again when he was the bench coach with the Tampa Bay Rays, so they definitely have a relationship. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out over the next couple of weeks.