Rangers promote Profar for 1st MLB game since 2013

ARLINGTON, Texas - Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor started serving his suspension Friday for punching Toronto's Jose Bautista after the penalty was reduced from eight to seven games.

Odor was out of the lineup for the series opener against Pittsburgh. He will be eligible to return June 4 when Texas is home against Seattle.

With Odor sidelined, the Rangers promoted former top prospect Jurickson Profar from Triple-A Round Rock, and he was in the lineup against the Pirates as the leadoff hitter playing second base. Odor had been leading off.

Profar hasn't appeared in a big-league game since 2013 because of a torn muscle in his right shoulder, but he's finally remained healthy this season, hitting .284/.356/.426 with five home runs and 26 RBIs in 41 games at Triple-A Round Rock. The switch-hitter played primarily shortstop for the Express before moving to second base earlier this month. His first game at second base was May 17, the same day the suspensions were announced.

The 23-year-old Profar has a career .231 batting average and .684 OPS over 94 major league games with Texas in 2012 and 2013.

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Bautista was suspended one game, and he was serving that Friday, when the penalty was upheld a day after his appeal was heard.

Odor's penalty was cut by Major League Baseball special assistant John McHale Jr. The appeal over Odor's role in a May 15 brawl between the Rangers and Blue Jays was heard Tuesday. The league disciplined 14 players and staff over the melee in Arlington .

The only other Texas player suspended was shortstop Elvis Andrus, and he has already served his one-game suspension.