The Astros activated right-hander Jake Odorizzi from the 15-day injured list, and the veteran will take the hill tonight for a start against the Royals. In the corresponding roster move, righty Enoli Paredes has been optioned to Triple-A.
Odorizzi last pitched on May 16, when he suffered tendon and ligament damage (but no tears or strains) while running to cover first base on a fielding play. While missing over six weeks of action is no small matter, it seemed as if Odorizzi’s season could be in jeopardy when he was carted off the field.
Now, the righty will return to Houston’s rotation and try to continue what has been a successful season to date. Odorizzi has a 3.13 ERA over seven starts and 31 2/3 innings, despite some below-average strikeout and walk rates. Though Odorizzi hasn’t allowed much hard contact, a .320 xwOBA (well above his .269 wOBA) indicates that some regression could be in order.
Given the overall quality of the Astros rotation, Odorizzi will have to pitch well to make his case for a possible postseason start, though he likely isn’t in any danger of losing a rotation spot. With their number of arms on hand and the team’s desire to keep everyone fresh and healthy for October, the Astros could stick with a six-man rotation or perhaps just float starters in and out of the rotation in order to manage innings.
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