Texas to pony up $49.5 million in Odor’s new deal
Rougned Odor and the Texas Rangers agreed to a six-year contract that includes a club option for 2023 and guarantees the young second baseman at least $49.5 million.
The deal was sealed when the AL West champions added two horses.
“I have a passion for horses,” Odor said. “I love horses. It’s one of my hobbies, being around the horses.”
The deal completed Thursday includes a $2 million signing bonus and a $13.5 million club option for 2023 with a $3 million buyout. Odor’s salary will be $1 million this season, and then it will increase to $3 million in 2018 and $7.5 million in 2019. He will make $9 million in 2020 before $12 million in each of the last two years of the contract.
“He’s 23 years old and already one of the best middle infielders in the game,” general manager Jon Daniels said. “The sky’s the limit.”
Odor is entering his fourth season with the Rangers. He hit .271 with 33 home runs and 88 RBIs last year, when he became known to many for punching Toronto’s Jose Bautista during a May 15 game, the finale of a contentious series. Odor served a seven-game suspension for that.
He has hit .265 with 58 homers and 197 RBIs in his career.
Nationals’ closer: Blake Treinen will begin the season as Washington’s closer, even though he has only one big-league save.
After Washington went a winter without landing a ninth-inning man — it lost Mark Melancon to the Giants — and a spring training trying to figure out who would earn the role, manager Dusty Baker announced Thursday the 28-year-old righthander had won the job. Treinen competed with two other internal candidates, Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover.
Mets’ doings: Former Giants prospect Zack Wheeler has earned a spot in the Mets’ rotation after missing two years while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Robert Gsellman will begin the season as the team’s No. 5 starter in place of the injured Steven Matz.
Center fielder Juan Lagares is going on the disabled list because of an oblique strain and outfielder Michael Conforto will be with New York on Opening Day.
Avoiding the sting: Ina bizarre scene in Peoria, Ariz., players from both teams went flat on the dirt when bees stormed the infield during the ninth inning of the Rockies’s 10-5 win over the Padres.
San Diego pitcher Trey Wingenter stepped off the mound when the horde hit, and after hesitating a moment, the 6-foot-7 right-hander dropped to a knee. Colorado batter Daniel Castro quickly did the same, and then Wingenter, Castro, plateumpire Alex Tosi and everyone else in the infield dropped flat on their stomachs. The broadcast picked up someone yelling, “Bees! Bees!”
The players stayed down for about 10 seconds, and fans gave them a cheer when they finally stood. Briefly: The Tigers released right-hander Mike Pelfrey, who was entering the second season of a $16 million, two-year deal. He went 4-10 with a 5.07 ERA last season . ... Infielder Yandy Diaz has made Cleveland’s Opening Day roster after he was expected to start the season in the minor leagues. Diaz, who batted .325 in 95 games at Triple-A Columbus last season, is considered one of the Indians’ top prospects . ... The Twins made first baseman Byung Ho Park one of their final roster cuts. Minnesota also placed former Giants utility infielder Ehire Adrianza (right oblique strain) on the 10-day disabled list . ... The Brewers say they will place starter Matt Garza on the 10-day DL to the start the season because of a strained right groin . ... Aaron Judge won the Yankees’ right-field job and Luis Severino earned the fourth spot in their rotation.