Bautista On Odor Punch: 'He Was Looking For A Fight'
By: Josh Clark
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DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - In an article written by Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci, Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista opened up about the punch he took from Rangers second baseman Roughned Odor.
It all started when Bautista slid hard into second base after being hit by a Matt Bush fastball in the series finale against Texas on May 15.
Following the slide, Odor (who was playing second base) and Bautista stared each other down. Odor shoved Bautista and then punched him in the jaw as the Blue Jays outfielder appeared to be lifting his arm to fight.
"Was [Odor] out to play baseball that day? Maybe partly," Bautista told Verducci. "Part of me also thinks that he was looking for a fight."
After the game, Bautista admitted to the hard slide, but he told Verducci that he didn't intend to hurt Odor on the play.
"I could have hit him," Bautista said. "I could have hurt him. I chose not to. My cleats were down. I slid through the bag. Was it late? Yes, a hundred percent. But what can I do after they hit me? Should I ask my manager to let me pitch, which he is never going to let me do? Like, what am I supposed to do? Just sit there and take it?"
Both Bautista and Odor were suspended for their roles in the brawl. Bautista received a 1 game suspension, while Odor was banned for 8 games, although it was lessened to 7 games after he won an appeal.
Bautista also told Verducci that he thought Odor was trying to throw at him on the double play ball that started the the brawl.
"I've been playing baseball for a long time," Bautista said. "I know exactly what he was trying to do when he threw the ball. He tried a hundred percent to hit me in the face. And it's not the first time he's done it against me or some of my teammates. And there's video to prove that."
Just a couple weeks ago, Shan, RJ and Mac from 105.3 The Fan talked about the Toronto media's accusation that Odor was throwing at Bautista's head.
The morning show referred to Harold Reynolds from MLB Network, who said that he didn't think Odor was throwing at Bautista's head.
Check out the video from MLB Network's MLB Tonight inside Studio 42
Odor is currently serving his 7 game suspension. He is expected to be back in the lineup when the Rangers take on the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, June 4 at Globe Life Park.
