Report: Blue Jays have tried to acquire Rangers’ Odor before

Toronto Blue Jays star Jose Bautista, left, is hit by Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor, right, after Bautista slid into second in the eighth inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. (Richard W. Rodriguez/Star-Telegram via AP, File)

The Toronto Blue Jays have tried to acquire Rougned Odor at some points in the past, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. It’s unclear whether the team pursued the Texas Rangers second baseman before or after his famous punch.

Odor was the key figure in the infamous May 2016 brawl with the Blue Jays in which he punched Toronto right-fielder Jose Bautista in the face.

Heyman writes that the Blue Jays are currently in the market for a second baseman, a statement that aligns with recent reports that the club was interested in Dee Gordon of the Miami Marlins. Heyman adds that it would be interesting to see if the Blue Jays reconsider adding Odor.

The 23-year-old Venezuelan is not a popular figure among Blue Jays fans. That sentiment may extend to the Toronto clubhouse, but Heyman cites a person connected with the Blue Jays as saying, “Bautista’s probably a short timer there.”

Bautista is signed through the end of this season with mutual options for 2018 and ’19.

Odor, who signed a six-year, $49.5-million extension with Texas in the winter, is hitting .215/.254/.397 with 17 homers and 40 RBI this season.

Heyman also notes that a connection exists between the Blue Jays front office and Odor; his uncle Rouglas spent time in the Cleveland Indians organization as a player, coach and manager while current Toronto president Mark Shapiro was there.

[relatedlinks]

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.