The Yankees may be seeing a lot more of one of the veterans they ditched last week to clear 40-man roster space.
Infielder Rougned Odor has found a new home, and the lefty-hitting slugger is staying in the American League East to play for the Baltimore Orioles on a one-year deal.
Like the Yankees, the O’s acquired Odor for almost nothing because the Texas Rangers are on the hook for his $12-million 2022 salary minus the major-league minimum plus a $3 million buyout.
The door is open for Odor to earn a lot of playing time next season at second base with youngster Jahmai Jones the primary competition, but he could slide into a utility role that gets him starts at second, third and designated hitter. It’ll probably depend on whether Odor does more at the plate than hit for power. He’s always done that, but he’s changed teams twice since April because his homers are countered by a very low batting average with a whole lot of strikeouts.
Odor, 27, was released by the Yankees after another all-or-nothing season in which he batted .202 with 15 homers, 39 RBI and 100 strikeouts in 322 at-bats over 102 games. He has hit 30-or-more homers three times in eight seasons, but is a career .234 hitter. His average since 2019 is .199 with a 33% strikeout rate.
Odor spent his entire career with the Texas Rangers before being traded to the Yankees last April for two minor leaguers.
His teammates got a kick last season out of Odor’s enthusiasm, which included him frequently being the first Yankees player to the dugout steps to greet a teammate that scored a run.
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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.
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