Odorizzi excited to play alongside Greinke with Astros

HOUSTON (AP) — Jake Odorizzi decided to fashion his game like Zack Greinke’s when he was still in high school.

Now entering his 10th season in the majors, the right-hander has become teammates with the man he’s looked up to for so long after Odorizzi signed with the Houston Astros.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know him on a personal level and talking pitching with him because he’s got a great mind for pitching,” Odorizzi said Tuesday. “He’s the guy that mechanically I tried to emulate, repertoire, everything like that. So, if I can keep doing it, as long as he’s done it, I’d be pretty darn happy with myself.”

Odorizzi and the Astros finalized a contract Monday that guarantees $20.25 million over two years or $23.5 million over three seasons if a player option is exercised for 2023. The deal contains additional performance bonuses that could make it worth at least $33.25 million over three years and possibly more depending on appearances in 2021 and ’22.

Odorizzi enhances a Houston rotation that lost Framber Valdéz indefinitely to a broken finger this spring training. Astros ace Justin Verlander also is sidelined while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Odorizzi adds another veteran presence to a rotation with the 37-year-old Greinke, Lance McCullers Jr., Cristian Javier and José Urquidy.

An All-Star with Minnesota in 2019, Odorizzi was limited to four starts last season because of injuries. He was 0-1 with a 6.59 ERA for the Twins during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Houston general manager James Click has known Odorizzi since the pitcher played for the Tampa Bay Rays when Click worked in their front office.

“Jake was the top free agent remaining on the board in our eyes,” Click said. “And certainly, the prior...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Odorizzi-excited-to-play-alongside-Greinke-with-16012428.php