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Odor has no regrets after punching Bautista

Ron Vesely / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Rougned Odor said he has no regrets over punching Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista on Sunday, even if it results in a lengthy suspension for the Texas Rangers' gritty second baseman.

Odor's punch followed a series of escalating events that included Matt Bush throwing at Bautista in what appeared to be retaliation for his bat flip in Game 5 of last year's American League Division Series. Two batters later, Bautista executed a hard takeout slide on Odor at second base, triggering the controversial right hook and a massive bench-clearing brawl.

Odor, who was unavailable to the media after the game, spoke to reporters Monday before the Rangers' series opener in Oakland, and insisted he wouldn't do anything differently.

"I can tell when somebody is coming hard to second base," Odor told Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News. "I just tried to protect myself."

Odor, who has a history of physical confrontations during his minor- and major-league career, says he was bracing for the hard slide from Bautista, but believes the Blue Jays slugger had other intentions on his mind.

"I saw him standing there after the slide," Odor said. "He was looking at me. I was like, 'What's up?' He was close to me. I had to step back a little bit, and that’s what I did."

Related: 3 other times Odor started beef

Odor told reporters he expects to be suspended by MLB, which will likely announce penalties Tuesday, according to chief baseball officer Joe Torre.

"I know I'm going to be suspended for a couple games, but I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing," he said.

Odor believes the two teams will move forward from the incident, and said he harbors no ill will toward Bautista.

"I respect him. He plays hard."

(Video courtesy: MLB.com)

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