Rougned Odor returns for Texas Rangers. But how much will he play rest of the season?
Roberto Clemente Day was Wednesday, and for those who don’t know much about the Hall of Fame player, take some time to learn about who he was.
Not as a baseball player, but as a human being.
Three Texas Rangers players honored Clemente, who died Dec. 31, 1972, in a plane crash while en route to deliver supplies to survivors of an earthquake in Nicaragua, by wearing his No. 21.
It wasn’t more because MLB didn’t offer more players the chance to wear it.
Initially, only players from Clemente’s Puerto Rico were going to honor him, and MLB later called an audible to let veteran players on every team wear the No. 21 jersey.
The three Rangers who did were first-base coach Hector Ortiz, who is from Puerto Rico, and players Elvis Andrus and Shin-Soo Choo.
“I was just in awe of what this man did in his lifetime,” manager Chris Woodward said. “In his short lifetime. It’s sad, but at the same time I believe that we should celebrate that. This guy was not only a superstar on the field, but he was off it. There’s not even a word to really describe it. We need to talk about that, especially with the relevance to today’s society.”
MLB has retired the jersey of one player, the No. 42 worn by Jackie Robinson. Clemente’s 21 would be on a short list of candidates to have their jerseys retired by baseball.
His might be at the top of it.
Here’s some Rangers Reaction from a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Odor again?
Just stop right there.
Don’t even ask.
No one really seems to know why Rougned Odor was back at second base Wednesday night.
The Rangers activated him from the 10-day injured list before the game, and Woodward put Odor and his .150 average in the No. 6 spot in the batting order.
Maybe the following from Woodward will serve as comfort.
“I have talked to him. He is not going to play on an everyday basis,” Woodward said. “He’s got to earn his playing time. I know he hasn’t swung the bat as well as he would like this year. He has put a lot of work in but we need to see a lot more consistency. We have been saying that all along. He is not going to play every day but if he starts to hit and earns some playing time, he’ll earn more.”
Odor went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and an RBI courtesy of a bases-loaded walk during a plate appearance in which he saw 10 pitches and just missed a grand slam foul down the right-field line.
Since Odor hit the IL with an eye infection, the Rangers have gone into a quasi-rebuild. They are looking at prospects to see what they can do and where they can do it. They are looking in particular at shortstop and second base.
Andrus, though, received a day off despite hitting a home run Tuesday. Anderson Tejeda replaced him at shortstop, moving from second base to create room for Odor, and Nick Solak was the designated hitter rather than at second base.
The Rangers could have easily done without Odor, but there he was.
Maybe the Rangers are hoping he gets hot as he did last September and can tempt another team to ignore four disappointing seasons and give Odor a shot. Shame on the Rangers if they fall for a second straight hot September.
Of course, the Rangers would have to eat a ton of the $24.6 million left on his contract in any trade, but here’s betting they would.
Santana’s plight
Danny Santana’s elbow injury was severe enough that he needed a form of Tommy John surgery Wednesday, though technically not Tommy John.
The same elbow ligament, ulnar collateral, was involved, but rather than use a tendon from another part of his body or a cadaver, an internal brace was used to repair the injury.
Santana could be ready to play again in seven or eight months. He just might not have a place to play with the Rangers or he might not even be with the Rangers.
He is no longer the best center fielder on the team. He’s not even second-best.
“He’s going to have to earn it back,” Woodward said. “I hate to say it, but that’s just the way this game goes.”
Woodward went on to say Santana, the Rangers’ Player of the Year last season, will get the chance to reclaim his everyday job. However, what Woodward didn’t say is that would be only if Santana is on the team.
The Rangers could choose to not tender him a contract, making him a free agent. Santana would be in his second year of salary arbitration after avoiding arbitration last off-season for $3.6 million.
For a team that will be operating on a budget, the difference between Santana and Leody Taveras, who would be making the league minimum, would likely be $3 million to $3.5 million.
How about some superlatives?
▪ Isiah-Kiner Falefa continued his bid to be Rangers Player of the Year, matching his career-high with four hits. His first-inning single extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games, and he added a double and two more singles. He is batting .322.
▪ Eli White is no longer batting .000. The rookie outfielder collected his first career hit, a double, to drive in the Rangers’ first run in their five-run fifth inning. He is 1 for 20 to start his career, but that beats 0 for anything.
▪ Taveras stole home in the sixth inning on the back end of a double steal. He doubled with one out and was at third after Kiner-Falefa’s fourth hit. Kiner-Falefa stole second, and Taveras raced home once the catcher threw to second base. It was the 36th time in club history a player had stolen home.
▪ Kyle Cody allowed the first earned run of his career and got some needed relief help from Jesse Chavez to keep it that way after a three-walk third inning that he could not complete. Cody allowed one run in 2 1/3 innings on 55 pitches. He allowed three hits, the three walks and struck out three.
▪ Left-hander John King followed Cody, as he did Friday at Seattle, and allowed an unearned run in two innings in his second career appearance. It was good enough to earn his first career victory.
