SURPRISE, Ariz. _ The Texas Rangers continued their springtime tradition of agreeing to contract extensions with core members of the team by reaching an agreement with second baseman Rougned Odor on a reported six-year deal worth $49.5 million.
Sources confirmed that Odor and the Rangers had reached a deal, but club officials were mum on a deal that would buy out Odor's three arbitration years as well as his first two years of free agency. The deal also includes club option for 2023.
Odor made is major league debut in 2014 in large part because of an injury to Jurickson Profar. He started at second base on Opening Day in 2015 but struggled over the first five weeks and was demoted to Triple-A Round Rock.
He finished the season back in the majors and last season swatted a team-high 33 homers in 150 games. His most memorable moment nationally, though, was punching Jose Bautista to spark a brawl that resulted in Odor being suspended seven games.
The deal comes only a few days after catcher Robinson Chirinos was given a smaller extension that buys out his 2018 arbitration year and a club option for 2019 that could keep him from becoming a free agent.
"I'm really happy for him," shortstop Elvis Andrus said. "He deserves it. It's been an amazing journey so far. Now is just the beginning of his career."
The deal sets up the 23-year-old Odor for another big payday later in his career. He has a chance to hit the open market before he turns 30.
Catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who can become a free agent after the season, said that extension talks with him have been tabled. Right-hander Yu Darvish, another extension candidate due for free agency, never received an offer this spring, but the Rangers are open to re-signing both players.
