Minnesota Twins: Who should start Game 1 of the ALDS?

Jake Odorizzi

If the Twins don’t feel comfortable with one All-Star kicking off the ALDS, they are fortunate enough to turn to their other All-Star in the rotation. Jake Odorizzi enjoyed a stellar season that included his first trip to the All-Star Game, but much like Berrios, his season was a tale of two halves.

In the first half, Odorizzi was just about untouchable on the mound. The 29-year old started off the season that hovered around a sub-2.00 ERA for a majority of the first two months. Even after a rough patch in June, Odorizzi still owned an 11-4 record with a 3.06 ERA in his first 18 starts. Perhaps the most impressive stat of that stretch was holding opposing hitters to a .212 average, but those numbers didn’t last.

While dealing with a blister on his pitching hand, Odorizzi would hit another rough stretch that included allowing nine runs in four innings to the Yankees in a start on July 24. As a result, Odorizzi struggled to make it out of the sixth or even fifth inning as his numbers ballooned to a 4-3 record with a 4.15 ERA.

At this point, Odorizzi is what he is. He’s a solid starter that can get you five good innings. If his previous start against the Yankees was an aberration, he could be a good enough choice to get the game off to a good start and get to the Twins’ bullpen.