Texas Rangers: Does an improving Rougned Odor increase trade likelihood for Jurickson Profar?

The Texas Rangers aren’t showing any signs of moving on from Rougned Odor at second base. If second base is unavailable, where does Jurickson Profar project?

Don’t get your hopes up too high, but Rougned Odor’s quality of play is trending upward. Over the last month, the Texas Rangers second baseman has hit .250 with a .348 OBP. He also has eight walks and only 20 strikeouts over 76 at-bats in that span. By no means is he annihilating the baseball, but he is progressing.

This prompts two questions: Is his progression worthy of a permanent stay at second base? And how does Odor’s progression effect the Rangers’ allegiance to Jurickson Profar?

Profar has without a doubt performed better than Odor this season. In fact, Profar has been about as productive as any Texas Ranger this season. With that said, we are all aware of the Rougned Odor contract. In case you believe he can be traded, let me shoot that belief down right now. There is a 0% chance Odor is traded this season as he has extremely little value. Thus, Profar could be the odd man out.

The Texas Rangers will not stray from Odor at 2B

Listen, MLB is a business. In business, contracts carry a ton of weight. The Texas Rangers inked Rougned Odor to a wealthy 6-year, $49.5 million contract prior to the 2017 season. It was a deal that seemed fair at the time as Odor had emerged as one of the top power hitting second baseman in all of baseball. Unfortunately, he has performed terribly ever since he signed the contract.

Now, the organization has their hands tied. Odor has played badly enough to where he could be benched. Furthermore, he’s played badly enough to where he could be demoted. Yet, he continues to play almost every game. Why? Because of his contract.

He has improved as the season has progressed, especially as of late. But a player with Odor’s numbers over the last year and a half would not have the chance to improve at the big league level unless he had a high-dollar contract. That is the exact case with Rougned Odor.

Do not expect the Rangers to open the second base job to competition. If they haven’t taken the job from Odor by now then they won’t be taking it away from him any time in the near future. That is of course bad news for Jurickson Profar, a player who does not have the cushion of a big contract.