Rangers Trade for Atlanta Starter Jake Odorizzi

The Texas Rangers nabbed a potential starter for next year's rotation, and didn't give up much.

The Texas Rangers acquired Atlanta starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi on Wednesday in exchange for pitcher Kolby Allard.

The Rangers made the announcement via press release and social media.

The trade represented the first significant move of the offseason in terms of free agency or trades. The Rangers hired a new manager in Bruce Bochy in October.

The deal also came with cash considerations. The Braves will pick up $10 million of Odorizzi’s $12.5 million salary for 2023, a salary triggered when he picked up his player option for 2023.

Odorizzi becomes an immediate candidate for the Rangers starting rotation in 2023.

The 32-year-old starter combined to go 6-6 with a 4.40 ERA in 22 starts with Houston and Atlanta. He started the season with Houston before being traded to Atlanta on Aug. 2. He also spent two months on the injured list with left lower leg discomfort. Before the injury, he was 3-2 with a 3.13 ERA in seven starts.

Odorizzi is 74-69 record with a 3.99 ERA for his MLB career, which has spanned 11 years with Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Houston and Atlanta. He was an All-Star in 2019 with Minnesota when he went 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA and a career-high 178 strikeouts. Since 2014 he is fifth in the Majors in starts among right-handed pitchers.

Allard joined the Rangers at the 2019 trade deadline when they acquired him reliever Chris Martin. Allard went 1-2 with a 7.29 ERA in 10 relief appearances with the Rangers in 2022. He spent most of the year at Triple-A Round Rock, going 3-3 with a 4.65 ERA over 20 games/starts.

The Rangers made another pitching move on Wednesday, picking up the 2023 option for reliever Jose Leclerc. The Rangers are also trying to work out a long-term deal with starter Martín Pérez and have until Thursday to do so. The Rangers are reportedly likely to extend him the qualifying offer, which is more than $19 million, which would extend their opportunity to negotiate with him. But it would also allow Pérez to test the market.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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