Healthy All-Star Pitcher Could Offer Phillies Depth

The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed their own free-agent starter and have already committed to trying to extend another veteran starter. But there is a veteran pitcher that just hit the market that could offer them help at the back of the rotation, if they feel they need it.

The Phillies are on their way to Clearwater, Fla., for spring training. Pitchers and catchers report this week.

Jake Odorizzi doesn’t have a contract yet, but the veteran who missed all of last season due to surgery appears to be ready to sign a deal.

On Monday, MLB Network reported Odorizzi was pitching without restrictions and has worked from a mound with up to 12 Major League team in attendance. His goal is to sign a contact in the coming weeks, hopefully a Major League deal.

The Phillies have some familiarity with Odorizzi, as he pitched with Atlanta to end the 2022 season. Odorizzi made his only All-Star Game appearance in 2019 with Minnesota, where he had a career-high 15 wins. He’s 74-69 for his career with a 3.99 ERA. He’s also made at least 30 starts in four different seasons.

Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1st round of the 2008 MLB Draft, Odorizzi has 10 years of MLB experience since his debut in 2012 with the Kansas City Royals. He followed that with stints with Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Houston and Atlanta.

He missed all of 2023 with an arthroscopic debridement procedure on his right shoulder last April.

At the time he was with the Texas Rangers, and it was hoped he would contribute to their rotation. He spent the entire season on the Rangers’ injured list as the franchise won its first World Series.

The Phillies’ rotation is anchored by Aaron Nola, who just signed a seven-year deal with the Phillies, and Zack Wheeler, the veteran the Phillies would like to extend past the final year of his deal in 2024.

Along with Wheeler and Nola, the Phillies have Taijuan Walker, Ranger Suárez, Cristopher Sánchez and Kolby Allard, the last a former Braves pitcher, contending for spots in the starting rotation.