Yankees: A look ahead at 5 best free-agent starting pitchers in 2020

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 03: : General Manager of the New York Yankees Brian Cashman looks on prior to the American League Wild Card Game between the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 03, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

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5. Jake Odorizzi

Right-hander Jake Odorizzi will turn 30 in March 2020. He spent his first year of major league ball with the Kansas City Royals, then five years with the Tampa Bay Rays, and the last two years with the Minnesota Twins.

He has an overall won-loss record of 61-54 (.530%) and a 3.90 ERA during his time in the big leagues. His WAR in 2019 is 3.1 and is 12.8 over the span of his career.

This season turned out to be his breakout campaign. He is 14-6 (.700) with an ERA of 3.60 and 162 strikeouts in 147.1 innings pitched. He has only given up 16 home runs during this entire “homer crazy” year.

He has pitched consistently well throughout the entire 2019 season for the Twins — and although he doesn’t have any postseason experience, that is likely to change in a few weeks time.

While Odorizzi is not a No. 1 starter, he is certainly capable of being a solid number 2 or 3 shooter that the Yanks can count on game-in and game-out during the course of the season.

The Yankees will probably be comfortable offering him a multi-year deal given his age and the likelihood that he will at least maintain the same level of quality performance as this year over time.

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