Texas Rangers Seeking Contract Extension with Rougned Odor

After a breakout campaign in 2016, the Rangers are attempting to lock up Rougned Odor with a contract extension. Odor is not eligible for free agency until the year 2021, but the team wants to keep him around longer than that.

According to Jon Heyman, the Texas Rangers and Rougned Odor are talking an extension in the range of six-years $52.5 million. Odor hit .271/.296/.502 with a career-high 33 home runs and 88 RBI in 150 games in 2016.

The 23-year-old second baseman is heading into his fourth season with the Rangers. He has become an important player in the middle of the order. Odor had a 1.9 WAR in 2015, and then topped that last season with a 2.4 WAR.

Odor is represented by Beverly Hills Sports Council, the same agency that got All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis a long-term extension. The Cleveland Indians signed a six-year $52.5 million contract with Kipnis in 2014.

That extension for Kipnis eats up two free agent years, and the Rangers could be looking to do something similar with Odor. The season before Kipnis got the extension, he went to his first All-Star game and dropped a 3.5 WAR.

Odor could be following in a similar path as Kipnis. He had less WAR last season than Kipnis did in 2013, but Odor had better offensive numbers. The only issue that could make the Rangers hesitate is the fact that “Roogie” doesn’t walk much.

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He did hit 33 homers, but his lack of walks could be concerning. Odor struck out 135 times with just 19 walks the entire season. Odor has 59 career walks, and 285 strikeouts, but should that worry the Rangers?

Odor’s offensive numbers have improved each of the last three seasons. His strikeout-to-rate ratio has consistently gotten worse since his debut in 2014. This could be a concerning sign for the Rangers, but they believe his bat will be enough to overcome the lack of walks.