MLB Trade Rumors: Minnesota Twins Interested in Starting Pitchers Jake Odorizzi and Collin McHugh
It looks like the Minnesota Twins are looking to add a starting pitcher or two via the trade market.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Twins have reportedly expressed interest in the Tampa Bay Rays' Jake Odorizzi and the Houston Astros' Collin McHugh. Both are right-handers are under club control for two more years.
"The splits in the arbitration cases of Odorizzi and McHugh are not terribly significant — Odorizzi asked for $6.3 million and the Rays offered $6.05 million, while McHugh asked for $5 million and the Astros offered $4.55 million. But regardless of the outcomes, the Rays would like to move Odorizzi's money, and the Astros might want the payroll flexibility they would gain from trading McHugh," Rosenthal said in his report.
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"Neither pitcher will be a giveaway due to their relatively modest salaries and two years of control, sources say," he added.
The Twins have already been linked to Odorizzi earlier in the winter, but this is likely the first time McHugh has been mentioned as a potential trade target for Minnesota this winter.
In any case, the Twins could really use someone like Odorizzi or McHugh on their roster right now because starting pitcher Ervin Santana is expected to miss the next 10 to 12 weeks after he underwent surgery on his right middle finger.
Odorizzi went 10–8 with a 4.14 earned run average (ERA) in 28 starts with the Rays last season, and he had 127 strikeouts in 143.1 innings pitched. Meanwhile, McHugh went 5-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 12 starts last year, and he also recorded 62 strikeouts in 63.1 innings pitched. He missed a big chunk of the 2017 season due to a posterior impingement in his right elbow.
The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly interested in Odorizzi and McHugh as well, per Rosenthal.
