Jake Odorizzi Struggles in First Start After Being Traded

Jake Odorizzi didn’t live up to expectations on the mound in New York on Saturday afternoon in his first start since being sent to the Braves.

Before the trade deadline, the Houston Astros traded starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi to the Atlanta Braves for reliever Will Smith.

Odorizzi started his first game as a Brave today against the red-hot New York Mets. The Mets have a deep lineup so this was a big challenge for Odorizzi, especially with it being his first start on his new team. New York got to him early on in the first inning by putting up two runs via a pair of RBI singles from Pete Alonso and Daniel Vogelbach.

The Mets were able to get a runner on base every inning that Odorizzi pitched, while also getting a runner in scoring position in the first three innings.

Odorizzi finished with a line of: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 4 K

He only went 4.2 innings due to his high pitch count of 96 early on in the game. It also looked like his lower leg was bothering him; after being checked on by trainers, he went on to walk Brandon Nimmo.

With Houston this year, Odorizzi wasn’t the greatest but he did manage to get out of innings when needed. His stat line with Houston in 2022 was:

60.0 IP, 3.75 ERA, .269 BABIP (Batting Average on Balls in Play), 1.15 WHIP (Walks and Hits divided by Innings pitched), and a 1.2 WAR (Wins above Replacement)

It’s hard to expect the same from him while with the Atlanta Braves. His next start is scheduled to be next weekend when the Braves visit the Miami Marlins.

As for reliever Will Smith, he has made two appearances for the Astros against the Red Sox and Guardians. Smith has allowed a solo home run and a walk so far in his two innings with the team.

It’s clearly too early to judge the trade between the Astros and Braves but it will definitely be something to look at once the season is over.