The Texas Rangers will be without starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi this season after the right-hander underwent debridement surgery on his shoulder.
Odorizzi, acquired from the Atlanta Braves in a November trade for pitcher Kolby Allard, didn’t have much more than depth this season as the top five spots in the Rangers’ rotation are taken.
The 33-year-old pitcher may never appear in a Texas Rangers uniform, having only signed this season in the final year of a three-year, $29.5 million deal he signed with the Houston Astros ahead of the 2021 campaign.
•
Rangers manager Chris Young told ESPN:
“As we stand today, it’s a blow. But we knew we’d go through something like this… We were counting on him to provide significant innings this season. We’re not going to get that, but this is an opportunity for others to step up and take those tickets.”
Texas fans took the news with a sigh and a shrug.
Most Texas Rangers fans were more upset about the money the team is on the line after choosing a depth arm that won’t provide any depth. Odorizzi was one of four starting pitchers the Rangers acquired last offseason, joining Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney.
Young acknowledged that while losing Odorizzi isn’t ideal, the Texas Rangers have much more depth in their pitching ranks than in years past. He told ESPN:
“The beauty of our staff right now is that we have quite a bit of depth. Our hope is that more depth will be developed in the minor league system this year.”
Young empathized with Odorizzi’s plight, having been through similar injury issues, telling ESPN:
“Having been through shoulder injuries in my career, there’s no rhyme or reason to know when it hurts or what causes it. I think it’s more of a chronic injury (with Odorizzi) than an acute injury, and for some reason, this offseason That’s when it took a turn for the worse.”
Texas Rangers starting corps still in good shape
Odorizzi was not in the Rangers’ rotation at this time, so his loss is felt minimally unless the team loses another arm of its starting five. Currently, deGrom is the ace of the staff, followed by Eovaldi, Martin Perez, Jon Gray and Heaney. The bullpen, led by co-closers José Leclerc and Will Smith as well as former MLB closer Ian Kennedy, also remains strong.