Rougned Odor’s maximum outstanding second as a Texas Ranger took place on May 15, 2016, which feels love it came about ages in the past. Credit is because of Odor for handing over a punch that also hurts to observe seven years later, touchdown on Jose Bautista’s jaw.
The incident stays engraved within the reminiscence of Rangers enthusiasts, regardless of a lot of adjustments since then. Different stadium, supervisor, and most commonly a special roster, however the punch has refused to vanish away.
The disagreement ensued on May 15, 2016, with the rating 7-6 to Rangers in opposition to Toronto Blue Jays. However, the tale began in October of 2015 within the American League Division Series when Bautista slugged a three-run homer, flipping his bat to rejoice the series-clinching win.
The stated birthday celebration didn’t pass down smartly with the Rangers, and tensions simmered till the common season in 2016 when issues got here to a head with Odor’s fist.
The most sensible of the 8th inning of the fit noticed Bautista hit via a pitch, displeased with the improvement, he slid arduous into 2nd base, aspiring to ship a message. Odor took offense, and when the previous slid arduous into him, he delivered the punch.
The punch knocked Bautista’s helmet and shades off in unison, leaving the latter bewildered. Adrian Beltre intervened, however the benches had already cleared, resulting in a scuffle that lasted for a number of mins.
Odor and Bautista were given kicked out of the sport, and the previous used to be suspended for 8 video games. While talking after the sport, Bautista said that Odor delivered a just right punch that left him shocked, pronouncing that it takes a larger guy to knock him down.
Odor in short become a people hero in Arlington, along with his Bautista punch becoming a mural symbol painted on a wall in a well-known taco store. The control was hoping to carry the fiery Odor on board as a franchise cornerstone, given he went on to complete sturdy in 2016 with 33 house runs and 88 RBI.
However, his struggles with OPS in 2017 and 2018, adopted via his struggles along with his batting reasonable in 2019 and 2020, resulted in the belief of the Rougned Odor technology in Arlington.
The Rangers traded him to the Yankees early within the 2021 season, and he has since joined the Orioles in 2022 and the Padres this season. Despite all that, he’s nonetheless but to hit age 30, and “The Punch” looks like a long-ago reminiscence to Rangers enthusiasts.