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If you haven’t heard of the Texas Rangers’ Rougned Odor, you will soon. Consider this your advance notice on baseball’s next great second baseman.

People have saddled Odor with great expectations since he skipped rookie ball and went straight to Single-A at 17 years old. He made his MLB debut in 2014 and hit a disappointing .259. Last season, he hit only two points better.

But the belief in Texas is that in 2016, Odor will leap closer to becoming the All-Star second baseman the organization expects. Just ask Michael Young, a Rangers special assistant who played in Texas for 12 seasons, including seven All-Star campaigns.

When asked on SportsDayDFW’s Ballzy podcast about what could stop Odor this season, Young offered this:

Maybe the Zika virus? Nothing. I mean this guy is an absolutely… I think he’s just a fantastic player. I think the sky is the limit. He has every skill you could possibly ask for. You combine that with his work ethic, his mentality, his approach to the game, his aggressiveness, the obvious enthusiasm he has for the game and the sky really is the limit. I think the biggest thing — and this isn‘t a knock, this is just an experience thing — he’s a very young left-handed hitter. … I’m a huge fan of this kid, have been since day one and I expect him to really build on what he did after his recall last year.

Traditionally, a player’s third season is when he makes the biggest jump.

Young’s average went from .262 in his second full season to .306 in 2003. For the next four seasons (2004-07), Young hit at least .313.

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley, who spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, saw a similar jump in his third year when he hit .291. That was 25 points up from his second season.

Generally, there is a two-year adjustment to major league pitching.

There are some, like Robinson Cano and Jose Altuve, who made an instant impact as rookies. Even in Altuve’s third full year, he saw his average jump from .283 to .341.

But at 20, Odor was younger than all of those players when he made his debut.

Young argued in the same interview with Ballzy that a young hitter just needs more time to see top-flight big league pitching.

And this spring, Odor proved he had learned through his struggles. He hit .349/.349/.698 with a team-leading four home runs to go with 11 RBI.

So far this season, Odor has struggled at the plate with only one hit in 10 at-bats, but he has still managed to score three of Texas’ 10 runs. Plus, three games isn’t a large enough sample size to judge whether he has improved.

His struggles through three games may be, in part, due to him moving throughout the lineup. With his speed, Odor is a natural top-of-the-order hitter.

Odor’s performance in the spring is a greater indication of where he is as a player.

The power he showed this spring, however, caused the Rangers to hit him fifth for a game and seventh for two more. A player doesn’t prepare the same, from a scouting standpoint, regardless of where he is hitting in the lineup.

Different spots see a different number of breaking balls.

Even as he’s struggled at the plate, though, Odor has proved to be a toolsy player. He contributes heavily on defense. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reported Odor made several impressive defensive plays in the Rangers’ first three games.

Odor turned 22 on Feb. 3. Remember: He is playing in his third major league season at an age when some enter the draft.

There’s still time—plenty of it.

Loaded with talent apparent to both the Rangers and observers this spring, Odor can be expected to become baseball’s next great second baseman.

And as far as this promising, young Ranger is concerned, consider yourself introduced.

Seth Gruen is a national baseball columnist for Bleacher Report. Talk baseball with Seth by following him on Twitter @SethGruen.

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Tommy John surgery has become as much a brand name as Band-Aid, Kleenex or Coke. We accept the once-experimental surgery as a surefire remedy to fix a pitcher’s arm.

So it’s understandable why after a year off and having undergone Tommy John surgery, Yu Darvish is facing high expectations from the Rangers. After all, the Rangers won the American League West in 2015 without Darvish, who flashed ace-like stuff in 2013 and 2014 with ERAs of 2.83 and 3.06, respectively.

Now pairing him with Cole Hamels, another ace, makes Darvish the juggernaut in the American League playoff picture.

Darvish is on a standard 14-month recovery from the surgery, which wouldn’t put him in the Rangers lineup until mid-May or June—depending on how many minor league starts he needed to stretch out. Literally, each week in the recovery from Tommy John surgery is planned out because so many pitchers undergo the procedure each year.

But that process has also restricted Darvish from facing any batters during spring training—he has only thrown bullpen sessions and very carefully increased his pitch count.

A Dallas Morning News blog post from Evan Grant says that pitching coach Doug Brocail told him that Darvish would need to throw between 50 and 55 pitches before throwing to a batter.

Darvish’s latest bullpen session went 31 pitches, according to the post.

But Darvish’s start date really doesn’t matter. Whether mid-May or June, when he finally returns to the Rangers, it will be as if a team loaded with playoff-caliber talent had pulled off a blockbuster trade.

Of course, the Rangers would rather have Darvish on Opening Day. Still, given the situation, no other playoff contender will add a player of Darvish’s caliber that early in the year.

It could certainly help to spark Texas regardless of where the team sits in the standings upon his return.

When news first broke in spring training of last season that Darvish had torn a ligament in his elbow and would need surgery, many dismissed the Rangers’ playoff chances. But as it ended up, Texas won the American League West—helped by a midseason trade for Hamels.

Now the team adds another pitcher with ace-like stuff.

The Astros are rightfully the favorite to win the division with a group of talented position players and arguably the division’s best pitcher in Dallas Keuchel. But the Rangers have the division’s best starting pitching tandem in Hamels and Darvish.

Darvish is more than just a “Robin,” though.

The American League West is loaded with talented aces—Oakland’s Sonny Gray, Seattle’s Felix Hernandez and the aforementioned Keuchel and Hamels. But Darvish’s past seasons have earned him the right to be mentioned among them.

Like each of his four division counterparts, Darvish too has posted an ERA in the coveted twos. There’s no caveat needed. This statement doesn’t need to be hedged: The Rangers have two aces on their staff.

Never has there been a time in the American League where pitching has been more important.

Regardless of whether teams added to their starting rotations or bullpens, we saw an emphasis this offseason on playoff contenders adding depth to their pitching staffs. It was an offseason in which the pitching contracts were much higher than that of hitters.

Just look at the seven-year, $217 million contract David Price signed with Boston at 30 years old, while Jason Heyward—said to be the prize among position fielders this offseason—signed an eight-year deal worth $184 million at only 26 years old.

Pitching matters. We saw the Red Sox add Price, but also dynamic closer Craig Kimbrel. The Yankees traded for Aroldis Chapman, which gives them one of baseball’s best bullpens. The Orioles signed starter Yovani Gallardo.

Obviously, Darvish was not a free agent this offseason. But he can have the same impact as a quasi addition.

Predicting Darvish’s impact on the 2016 Rangers is as easy as looking at his past performance. Sure, he had a complicated surgery with a long recovery. But so many have successfully returned from Tommy John surgery.

Kerry Wood and John Smoltz had the surgery and pitched successfully as relievers. Tim Hudson also underwent the procedure and continued to be a solid starter for the Braves.

A little Googling reveals that David Wells also had Tommy John surgery as a minor leaguer. And that was in 1985! The procedure and its recovery methods have advanced in the 30 years since.

The Rangers are staking their season in that history.

For Darvish, he may return to the Rangers with a newly constructed arm. But it’s the player of old whose right arm will certainly be felt throughout the American League playoff race.

Seth Gruen is a national baseball columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @SethGruen.

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As Yu Darvish continues rebuilding his arm strength from Tommy John surgery, the Texas Rangers will go with Cole Hamels as their Opening Day starter against the Seattle Mariners on April 4.

The Rangers officially announced Hamels as their No. 1 starter on Twitter on Wednesday. 

The 32-year-old Hamels was acquired by the Rangers last season on July 31 in a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. He posted a 3.66 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 83.2 innings after the move, helping Texas win its first American League West title since 2011. 

Hamels was the Rangers’ starting pitcher in their must-win game on the last day of the season, tossing a complete-game three-hitter in a 9-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He made two starts against the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series, allowing four earned runs with 14 strikeouts and two walks in 13.1 innings. 

If Darvish were healthy, his resume and dominant stuff would likely have given him the edge over Hamels to start on Opening Day. He’s being carefully managed by the team, throwing 31 pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday, and he won’t face live hitters until he’s able to throw between 50 and 55 pitches, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. 

Hamels is certainly no stranger to taking the ball for a season opener, previously getting the honor as a member of the Phillies in 2013 and 2015, per Rangers executive vice president of communications John Blake. 

Blake also noted the Rangers have used seven different Opening Day starters in the last seven seasons. Hamels has proved himself to be one of the best and most consistent pitchers in Major League Baseball.

Hamels may no longer be the Cy Young Award contender from his peak days in Philadelphia, but his evolution as a pitcher to keep hitters off balance before setting them up with his devastating changeup will keep him playing at a high level for a long time. 

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Shortstop Ian Desmond has been a huge part of the Washington Nationals‘ success in recent years, but the two sides parted ways Sunday as Desmond signed with the Texas Rangers in free agency.  

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported the deal will be for one year and $8 million. William Ladson of MLB.com confirmed the agreement. The Rangers confirmed their signing Monday morning:

Desmond has undoubtedly been one of the best offensive shortstops in baseball over the past few years. He won the National League Silver Slugger Award at his position every year from 2012 through 2014, and he is a one-time All-Star selection.

Despite that, Jim Bowden of ESPN reported the plan is for Desmond to be the team’s starting left fielder for the 2016 season. Rosenthal added that left field will be Desmond’s primary position, but he could move around the field based on injuries or performance.

The 2015 campaign was a struggle for him, though, as he hit a career-low .233 with 19 home runs and 62 RBI, and Washington missed the playoffs. With that said, his play improved significantly after the All-Star break.

Desmond is just one year removed from his most productive season to date. He posted 24 home runs, a career-high 91 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 2014.

Few players in Major League Baseball have a power-speed combination comparable to Desmond’s, which is why the 30-year-old veteran was so coveted on the open market.

The Nationals were in a difficult situation with Desmond. He was one of their best offensive players, but they could not work out an extension, per Ladson. He was constantly the subject of trade rumors as well, but Washington opted to keep him in 2015, which resulted in the organization ultimately losing him for nothing.

When asked about his desire to remain with the Nationals long term prior to the 2015 season, Desmond made it clear that he was interested in doing so, according to Ladson.

“Do I want to be a National (beyond 2015)? Yes,” he said. “Do I think, at this particular moment, I will be? I don’t know. I cannot give you an answer on that. We’ll see. I know 2015 is coming fast. I’m excited to get back out there. I think we have a lot to prove. We have a hungry bunch coming in 2015.”

It eventually became apparent that the two sides were reaching the end of their time together, however. It was so obvious, in fact, that his final game of 2015 was treated as a farewell of sorts.

After that contest, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo discussed how much Desmond meant to the team over the years, per Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post:

Ian Desmond is the rock of the organization. A guy that when I became the GM we made him the everyday shortstop, and (he) has blossomed into one of the best in all of baseball. So yeah, these guys, when these guys are in their last years, their decision-making years, it’s very, very difficult for us personally and professionally.

Desmond is very much in the prime of his career, but there is no telling how he will handle the change in scenery, since he has never known anything other than playing for the Nationals at the MLB level.

While it could be a tough transition, it could just as easily re-energize him and lead to some big-time production after a down year in 2015.

Desmond is easily one of the best offensive shortstops in baseball when he is on his game, and there is a solid chance that he’ll make the Nats regret letting him get away depending on how well he transitions to a new position. 

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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Texas Rangers pitcher Cole Hamels has filed a lawsuit against Cornucopia Events after he and his wife were unable to get into the 2015 Victoria’s Secret fashion show.   

According to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), Hamels claims Cornucopia Events did not get him or his wife into the event last year even though he paid about $70,000 for three VIP packages. 

Per the AP report, Hamels’ lawsuit states the money was supposed to cover a “four-night stay in a luxury hotel, a limousine with champagne, access to exclusive restaurants and goodie bags.”

However, Hamels’ suit alleges he and his party did not receive any of the perks paid for and were not granted entry into the fashion show that took place in November and was broadcast on CBS the following month. 

Law360 obtained a legal document in the case (via Lindsey Foltin of FoxSports.com), stating “The Cornucopia defendants held themselves out to be a ‘VIP’ concierge/lifestyle management company with access to the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. The Cornucopia defendants did not intend, could not and/or failed to provide the Hamels any entry at all to the [show].”

The AP noted Hamels is seeking “$150,000 in damages for fraud and misrepresentation” in his lawsuit, and Cornucopia’s managing director did not immediately respond to an email. 

Hamels filed the lawsuit in Philadelphia on Feb. 19, per the AP report. The 32-year-old spent the first nine years of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies before being traded to the Rangers last July.

He led the Phillies to a World Series title in 2008, winning NLCS and World Series MVP after posting a 1.80 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 35 innings during the postseason. 

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Right-handed pitcher Jeremy Guthrie has agreed to a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers, pending a physical, per TR Sullivan of MLB.com.

The 36-year-old spent the past four seasons with the Kansas City Royals, although he was not on the postseason roster when the team made its World Series run in 2015.

Although his 91-108 record does not impress, he has been a workhorse over his career, surpassing 200 innings five times. He won a career-high 15 games in 2013 but was just 8-8 with a 70 ERA+ and a 1.91 strikeout-to-walk ratio last year, per Baseball-Reference.com.

Guthrie thanked Kansas City for his time with the team in an Instagram post:

The 12-year veteran won’t provide much more than depth at the back end of the rotation, but Baseball-Reference projects that he’ll win one more game than last season while posting a 4.83 ERA.

Texas can use all of the help it can get on the mound, as the team finished 23rd in MLB with a 4.24 ERA and 24th in the big leagues with a .262 batting average against last season.

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After a successful debut season with the Texas Rangers in 2015, manager Jeff Banister was rewarded Friday in the form of an exercised contract option for 2018.

According to Rangers Executive Vice President of Communications John Blake, the 52-year-old former Pittsburgh Pirates bench coach was also given a team option for 2019.

The 2015 campaign was Banister’s first as a major league manager, and he didn’t disappoint, as he led the Rangers to the playoffs with a record of 88-74, won the American League West crown and took AL Manager of the Year honors.

After finishing last in the AL West in 2014 with a record of just 67-95, the Rangers pushed a loaded Toronto Blue Jays team to a decisive fifth game in the American League Division Series.

While it was a great bounce-back for an organization that reached the World Series in both 2010 and 2011, Banister stressed the importance of staying hungry, per Pat Doney of NBCDFW.com: “We challenged our guys after the last game last year. Don’t become complacent. And that’s a challenge when everyone goes their own way because everyone becomes their own individual.”

The Rangers look to have a similar roster in 2016 as they did last season, plus ace starting pitcher Yu Darvish figures to return at some point during the campaign from Tommy John surgery.

Banister helped Texas exceed expectations in a big way in 2015, and there is little doubt he deserved a vote of confidence.

With the Houston Astros on the ascent and the Los Angeles Angels boasting a talented team, however, remaining at the top of the AL West in 2016 and beyond will be huge challenge for Banister and Co.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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The Texas Rangers plan to sign left-handed slugger Ike Davis to a minor league contract, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News confirmed the deal Sunday, noting it will include an invitation to spring training.

The six-year veteran first baseman played 74 games for the Oakland Athletics last year, batting .229/.301/.350 with three home runs, 20 RBI and 19 runs scored.

If he makes the major league roster, the 28-year-old will have a chance to rejoin Rangers manager Jeff Banister, who was the bench coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates when Davis played there in 2014. 

A 2008 first-round pick of the New York Mets, Davis spent his first four-plus seasons in Queens, where he hit a career-high 32 home runs in a career-high 156 games in 2012.

The team sent him to the minors in 2013, and he battled hip and quadriceps injuries through most of the 2014 season. Last year, he underwent season-ending surgery to repair a torn hip labrum in August. 

He’ll provide the Rangers with another left-handed option at first alongside Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland. Citing a team source, Grant noted that “Davis will simply give the Rangers more insurance in the event of an injury to Fielder or Moreland.”

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Texas Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish continues to recover from Tommy John surgery after missing the 2015 season.

Continue for updates.

Darvish Outlines Throwing Schedule

Tuesday, Feb. 9

Darvish told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that he plans on throwing his first bullpen session in March as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

He told Grant that he’s throwing flat ground pitches twice a week and is doing a long toss four times a week. He said he feels capable of throwing 95 mph right now, though he won’t attempt to do so. He also added that going through the rehabilitation process has made him appreciate the game more.

General manager Jon Daniels told MLB Network Radio (h/t MLB Network’s Jon Morosi) in December that Darvish is expected to return to the team’s rotation in May.

Darvish, 29, last pitched in 2014, going 10-7 in 22 starts with a 3.06 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 182 strikeouts in 144.1 innings pitched.

Over his first three seasons in baseball, Darvish established himself as one of the game’s top starters. He was a strikeout machine in 2013, whiffing 277 batters.

His return will give the Rangers a very solid rotation that also includes Cole Hamels, Derek Holland, Martin Perez and Colby Lewis. And it will further bolster a team that was already talented enough to win the AL West last season without him in the rotation.

If Darvish is able to remain healthy for the 2016 season, the Rangers will have one of the best one-two punches atop their rotation (Darvish and Hamels) in the American League and will be favorites to return to the postseason.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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Texas Rangers executive vice president of communications John Blake announced Monday the club re-signed starting pitcher Colby Lewis on a one-year contract.  

The 36-year-old veteran went 17-9 in 2015, but he had a 4.66 ERA. Blake specified Lewis’ deal will mark his seventh season with the team.

Bill Jones of CBS 11 weighed in on the overall value of the new contract:

Although his recent bottom-line results were impressive, Lewis obviously benefited from a lot of run support when he took the mound en route to a career-best wins total. It was impressive he even played, though, considering he gutted through much of the second half of the season on a torn left meniscus.

The Rangers have had a high-powered offense that hasn’t been complemented by pitching well enough for a number of years. This held true last season as Texas was third in baseball in runs scored but 23rd in team ERA.

One big reason the Rangers were able to run to the American League West division title was because they did address pitching at the MLB trade deadline. Texas acquired Cole Hamels, who went 7-1 in 12 starts, helping the club edge out the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels in the standings.

Lewis doesn’t have an elite skill set when it comes to his pitching arsenal. To be fair, a long list of injuries is largely to blame for that. He is a fly-ball pitcher who yielded 26 home runs in 2015 and relies heavily on a four-seam fastball that seldom reaches 90 mph.

Thanks to a biting slider and movement on pitches that don’t vary much in velocity, per BrooksBaseball.net, Lewis is able to deceive hitters enough, as he led the Rangers with 142 strikeouts. 

One has to respect Lewis for continuing to plug away when most players with his history of ailments would have probably walked away from the game. The Rangers are rewarding him for the long road he’s traveled to buck the odds and continue his baseball career.

The longtime MLB hurler isn’t getting any younger, though, and he is a short-term fix. If the Rangers don’t upgrade their rotation more, they cannot legitimately expect to win their maiden World Series title.

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