Texas Rangers rumors: Rougned Odor and the Texas Rangers have been engaging in extension talks, off and on, for over a year, and Jon Heyman says discussions are on again this spring between the second baseman and the team that signed him for $425,000 out of Venezuela in 2011. The 23 year old Odor is slated to be arbitration-eligible for the first time after this season, and with four years of team control remaining, there’s ample time to get a deal done before he hits the open market, though both sides appear motivated to get something done.
Of more import, however, is Heyman also mentioning Yu Darvish and Jonathan Lucroy extensions as a possibility. Darvish and Lucroy are in their final season before hitting the open market, and are the Rangers’ most prominent free-agents-to-be. As has been much discussed, the Rangers didn’t make any long-term commitments this offseason, preferring to bring players in on one year deals. That maximizes the flexibility they have after 2017, which increases their ability to pay either or both of that pair.
Lucroy seems the more likely candidate to be extended, and news breaking that Lucroy has signed, say, a 4 year, $72 million extension keeping him with the team through 2021 at some point in the next month wouldn’t be surprising. Darvish, however, has long been thought to be out of Texas as soon as he hits the open market, with many dismissing the Rangers’ chances of extending him.
However, there seems to be a little more optimism about the possibility of a deal getting struck between the Rangers and their ace than there has been in the past. Its one of those things I’m torn on...paying big money to pitchers in their 30s, even great ones, is dangerous and rarely a good idea (just ask the Arizona Diamondbacks, who would love to shed Zack Greinke). But on the other hand...he’s Yu Darvish, man. The guy who gave us this gif:
So yeah...it will probably be too much money for too long, but I’d still like to see Yu locked up.