Yanks acquire Odor from Rangers

NEW YORK -- The Yankees embraced an opportunity to add depth to their roster on Tuesday, acquiring infielder Rougned Odor from the Rangers in exchange for Minor League outfielders Antonio Cabello and Josh Stowers and cash considerations.

Texas will assume nearly all of the remaining $27 million on Odor¡¯s contract over the next two seasons. The 27-year-old was designated for assignment by the Rangers on Thursday.

¡°Hopefully we can help him get that talent out that we¡¯ve seen flashed over the years,¡± manager Aaron Boone said.

Boone said that it is possible Odor could join the Major League roster after he passes intake screening. To create room on the 40-man roster, infielder Thairo Estrada was designated for assignment. The Yankees also optioned right-hander Michael King to the alternate training site.

The left-handed-hitting Odor hit .167 with 10 home runs and 30 RBIs in 38 games for Texas last season.

He owns a career slash line of .237/.289/.439 (88 OPS+) in 858 big league games from 2014-20, all with the Rangers, and he has hit 30 or more home runs in a season three times.

¡°He has the ability to really impact the ball from the left side at Yankee Stadium,¡± Boone said. ¡°We feel like that could play up. Hopefully just getting in our environment and our culture will unlock some things for him.¡±

If Odor is added to the Yankees¡¯ active roster, it could bump infielder/outfielder Tyler Wade to the team¡¯s alternate training site. Odor has only played second base in his big league career, compiling a .975 fielding percentage in 3,816 total chances, but the Rangers worked him out extensively at third base this spring.

DJ LeMahieu, the Yankees¡¯ most valuable player over the past two seasons, is entrenched at second base. Gio Urshela has a firm grasp on the third-base job, but Urshela has started slowly coming off October surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow.

¡°We have him as a solid defender and feel like he gives us some potential versatility,¡± Boone said.

Cabello, 20, has batted .251 with eight home runs and 40 RBIs over two Minor League seasons.

Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in December 2017, Cabello did not play last year due to the pandemic.

Stowers, 24, hit .268 with 12 homers and 68 RBIs over two Minor League seasons. A second-round selection of the Mariners in the 2018 Draft, Stowers was acquired from Seattle in January 2019 and did not play in '20 due to the pandemic.

"They're going to get a very good teammate and a guy that's probably got a lot of little chip on his shoulder right now -- in a good way," said Rangers manager Chris Woodward. "I've spoken with Rougie before we let him go and everybody that's talked to him since then says he's in good spirits.

"He's working hard and he knew that hopefully he was going to get another opportunity. He's going to a good team and they're obviously a contender. He's got a really good opportunity to reset things for his career. I'm happy for him to get to a good spot. It's a good ballpark to hit and hopefully he'll have a ton of success."