StaTuesday: Odorizzi logging numbers for Twins not seen since Johan Santana
The big talker around baseball this time of year is all about the All-Star Game -- who's leading the early vote returns, who’s a candidate to be snubbed and who will agree to participate in the home run derby and be cursed the rest of the season.
For Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi, the All-Star Game is all but a guarantee. That’s because the 29-year-old pitcher has put together one of the most impressive stretches for a Twins starter in team history.
Over his last 10 starts, Odorizzi owns a 9-0 record with a 1.07 ERA, 63 strikeouts and only 13 walks in 59 innings. He’s the first Twins pitcher to win nine straight decisions since Johan Santana in 2006, a year that saw the left-handed ace take home his second career Cy Young award.
Here’s a comparison of the two latest streaks:
| JAKE ODORIZZI | JOHAN SANTANA | |
| Apr. 17, 2019 - ? | DATE RANGE | July 15, 2006 - Sept. 10, 2006 |
| 10 | GAMES | 12 |
| 9 | WINS | 9 |
| 59 | IP | 81 2/3 |
| 1.07 | ERA | 2.42 |
| 63 | K | 92 |
| 13 | BB | 19 |
| .199 | BA | .197 |
| .252 | OBP | .247 |
| .261 | SLG | .338 |
| .269 | BABIP | .255 |
Santana owns the team record for the longest winning streak when he picked up 13 wins in a 14-game stretch in 2004, his first Cy Young campaign. Brad Radke ranks second with 12 straight win decisions in 1997, and Santana (2006), Odorizzi (2019) and Kevin Tapani (1991) are tied for third with nine.
Odorizzi’s teammate Kyle Gibson isn’t far behind with a streak of seven straight wins from Aug. 22, 2017 to April 11, 2018, a stretch that resurrected his career in Minnesota.
Odorizzi could hold third place all by himself with 10 straight victories if he picks up a win this weekend against Kansas City.
Overall, Odorizzi’s start to the season has been nothing short of spectacular. He’s allowed two runs or less in 10 of his 13 outings, with his only hiccup of 2019 being that fluke outing in Philadelphia on April 5 when he battled through cold temperatures and yielded four runs in two-thirds of an inning and was pulled.
Odorizzi leads all American League starting pitchers with a 1.92 ERA.
| PLAYER | GS | IP | ER | ERA |
| Jake Odorizzi, MIN | 13 | 70 1/3 | 15 | 1.92 |
| Charlie Morton, TB | 14 | 81 1/3 | 19 | 2.10 |
| Lucas Giolito, CHW | 12 | 75 | 19 | 2.28 |
| Justin Verlander, HOU | 14 | 93 2/3 | 24 | 2.31 |
| Mike Minor, TEX | 14 | 89 1/3 | 25 | 2.52 |
The last Twins pitcher to lead the AL in ERA over a single season was, you guessed it, Santana in 2006 (2.77) and 2004 (2.61).
We’re a long ways off from serious Cy Young award discussions, so for now, we'll be happy if Odorizzi gets awarded his first career trip to the All-Star Game.
