Odorizzi only threw two innings during Grapefruit League play, but he honed his offspeed pitches and built up to 52 pitches on the backfields against minor-league hitters prior to the shutdown, LaVelle E. Neal of the Star Tribune reports.

EDGE Analysis

Odorizzi, who is coming off the best season of his career, likes to work on his pitches during spring training in a simulated game environment, where he is less focused on trying to get out of an inning. The Twins supported him in this approach, although he would have gotten into more Grapefruit League games had spring training continued. He was unwilling to shed any light on what exactly he was working on, although he said he really likes the shape of his offspeed pitches and values seeing how hitters react to those pitches in that informal environment -- few of the hitters were able to make contact.