Yankees rumors: Checking in on Rays starter Jake Odorizzi

On Wednesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, unlocked one of his articles to let us know that some teams including the Yankees have inquired about the availability of Rays starter Jake Odorizzi.

With consistent chatter about the Yankees potentially adding a starting pitcher this offseason, you’d be inclined to believe it’s only a matter of time before general manager Brian Cashman pulls the trigger on a deal.

I, however, continue to advocate my belief that the Yanks do not need to trade prospects to acquire a veteran shooter or sign a high-priced innings eater like Yu Darvish or Alex Cobb.

But when members of the Yankees’ starting rotation come out and say they hope the club adds an arm, what is a sports writer to do?

Enter Ken Rosenthal and his usually pay-for-play online magazine, The Athletic. Allowing a peek behind the curtain, Rosenthal details the fact that teams such as the Yankees, Orioles, Twins and Dodgers have all inquired about the availability of the 27-year-old right-hander.

The intentions of the New York Yankees, who have checked in on Odorizzi at various points, are less clear. The Yankees’ rotation seemingly is set with Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, Sonny Gray, CC Sabathia and Jordan Montgomery. But the team has been trying to trade center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to clear money for other pursuits, including a possible run at Darvish.

The Rays find themselves in a precarious situation. They’ve begun what looks to be a lengthy rebuild by trading the face of the franchise, Evan Longoria, to the Giants.

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Other names that have been floated in recent trade talks include some of the clubs best players, including Chris Archer, Alex Colome and Corey Dickerson.

While the pitching staff is mostly young and affordable, it’ll be interesting to see how ownership balances the need for a new stadium by putting a less than stellar cast on the field.

Enter the Yankees and their potential interest in Odorizzi, who is coming off a subpar 2017 season.

Though the six-year veteran sported a winning record of 10-8 in ’17, his 4.14 ERA and 127:61 K:BB ratio was some of the worst stats he’s posted since becoming a full-time starter in 2014.

Throw in the fact that Odorizzi allowed 30 home runs and a 30.6 percent ground ball rate (second lowest in MLB) across 143.1 innings pitched in ’17, and perhaps, taking the mound in Yankee Stadium is a recipe for disaster (career 1.29 HR/9).

The Yanks rarely shy away from a reclamation project, and being club controlled for the next two seasons at a modest $6.3 million (pending arbitration) will undoubtedly entice Cashman to at least listen to the Rays’ demands.

However, it’s always tricky trading within the division, mainly if the Rays were to ask for a talent such as Clint Frazier.

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In my opinion, Odorizzi isn’t any better than probable fifth-starter Jordan Montgomery. I’d even prefer to see prospects Chance Adams or Justus Sheffield get a crack at the rotation before dealing for a below-average shooter. But that’s just me.