Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister made it clear that the future is still bright for second baseman Rougned Odor.
But Odor's immediate future it now with the Round Rock Express after the Rangers sent the struggling Odor to Triple A and purchased the contract of Thomas Field.
Odor, 21, was batting just .144 and had seen his playing time cut in favor of Adam Rosales. Field was in the starting lineup Monday but Banister believes Odor's time will come again.
"Rougie will and is going to be part of the winning formula here in Arlington but we felt it was time for Rougie to go down and get back to being the type of player that actually got him here," Banister said. "That gritty, gutsy blue-collar player that was a tough at-bat, played routine defense, a guy that typically in any given night played like his hair was on fire. He was all over the place."
Odor has never played in Triple A as he was called up from Double-A Frisco last May. Banister said the Rangers wanted to see Odor's at-bats get better and play every day.
"Get reconnected with what has made him a success to this point," Banister said.
Field was batting .298 for Round Rock with five home runs and 13 RBI in 28 games. He hit .250 this spring for Texas after coming to camp as a non-roster invitee. The Texas native, who is 28, played briefly for Colorado in 2011 and 2012 and in 15 games for the Los Angeles Angels in 2013.
Banister said it's too early to determine how the playing time at second base will go but the reports the club have received on Field are good.
"There were a few guys down there that were playing well," Banister said. "More than anything else, the body of work through spring training and the season so far. The defense he has played, we've played him at shortstop and second base, but he does have the ability similar to (Adam) Rosales to play all three infield positions. He gives us more options. That's what tipped the scale."
Odor batting .259 with nine home runs and 48 RBI last season after being thrust into duty because of injuries. But he started the season hitless in his first three games and never recovered. At no point has his average been higher than .188 and he only had 13 at-bats in May.
