Rangers option struggling Odor to Triple-A

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers promoted Rougned Odor from Double-A to the big leagues last season, allowing him to skip the Triple-A experience. Turns out, he will get that experience.

Odor was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Monday and the club called up infielder Thomas Field. Odor was sent down with a .144 batting average, the lowest in the American League among qualifying hitters. His .233 slugging percentage was also the lowest.

"Rougned definitely will be part of a winning formula in Arlington," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "We felt it was time for Rougned to go down and get back to being the type of player that got him here: gritty, gutty, tough at-bats, play routine defense, play with his hair on fire all over the place.

"He is not unlike a lot of players who came up at a young age, had an amount of success, then the Major League atmosphere, Major League players, threw a punch at them. He needs to go down, get re-connected to the player he was, come back better and more capable of throwing a counter punch."

Field has limited Major League experience, hitting .224 in 33 games with the Rockies in 2011-12 and the Angels in '13. He was hitting .298 with eight doubles, five home runs and 13 RBIs in 28 games at Round Rock.

Video: KC@TEX: Field launches first Major League home run

Field started at second base against the Royals in an 8-2 victory on Monday. He had a walk in the four-run second inning, a stolen base after reaching on a fielder's choice in the fifth, and he hit his first Major League home run in the seventh. He and Adam Rosales will share the position, but Fields gave the Rangers something to think about in a strong debut.

"Let's let Thomas get here, play the game and then we'll evaluate it," Banister said.

Field can also play shortstop and third base. Banister said Field will most likely play shortstop if Elvis Andrus needs a night off.

Andrus and Prince Fielder were among those who talked to Odor before he left.

"Yeah, I talked to him," Fielder said. "Me and Rougy always talk. We're both left-handed so we talk about different plans against different pitchers. So we talk. Obviously it's unfortunate. You don't want it to happen, but it's not really a big deal. It's just a little bump in the road. He'll be all right. "

"It's not a good feeling but he needs time to work on his approach and get his confidence back," Andrus said. "That's what he really doesn't have right now. As soon as he gets that, he'll be back."