Beardless Odor hoping to give Yanks new look, too
ST. PETERSBURG — Rougned Odor said the Yankees are the team that every kid loves to watch and dreams of growing up to play for. The infielder, who made his debut with the Bombers on Sunday against the Rays, said when he heard that he had been traded to the team he was happy.
But it came at a cost. Per team policies, Odor had to shave off the beard he has had for his entire major-league career. That shook up his home life.
“I feel weird,” Odor said with a laugh before the game. “Even my daughter, she (doesn’t) even want to look at me.
“But it is what it is. I’m happy to be here,” added Odor, whose two-out, 10th inning hit got the Bombers’ four-run rally started in the 8-4 win over the Rays at Tropicana Field.
“It feels really good. I mean, we were playing a really good game today. The pitcher did did a great job today and that at-bat feels really good too,” Odor said. “So it was good, good. It’s an amazing feeling.”
The Yankees are hoping his lefty bat can continue help them balance their lineup against teams like the
Rays, who match up their bullpen very well against their normally right-handed heavy batting order. They also see him as a backup third baseman, even though he has not played there in a major-league game. He spent significant time, 13 games, at third in spring training.
“At third base I have to move my feet more to throw the ball, and I think that’s the most difficult for me when I moved in spring training,” Odor said. “I take ground balls there and I feel really good playing there.”
He spent the first seven years of his career with the Rangers and this past spring training before being
designated for assignment before Opening Day.
“I always believe in myself, I always trust myself, and I knew somebody was gonna pick me up,” Odor said. “So I just never stopped practice. I kept practicing, I kept taking (batting practice). I kept taking ground balls, so I was ready to answer the calls when somebody called me.”
Odor hit .167 with 15 runs, 4 doubles, 10 home runs and 30 RBI in 38 games with the Rangers last year. He has hit .237 with 146 doubles, 26 triples, 146 home runs and 458 RBI in 858 games.
Perhaps his most memorable play with the Rangers came when he rocked Jose Bautista with a right cross. In May 2016, with emotions still high after the 2015 ALDS between the Blue Jays and Rangers, Bautista was hit by a pitch in his final at-bat of the series. Bautista slid hard and late into second, sliding well past the bag. He stared down Odor, who shoved him, and as Bautista stepped toward him, Odor delivered a punch to his face.
“That’s already in the past,” Odor said. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
Sunday, with his big hit, Odor turned the page on a new future with the Yankees.