Fort Worth

Odor's Punch Lands Ranger Free Barbecue for Life

Restaurant owner says offer is serious but also all in fun

Texas Ranger Rougned Odor's solid punch to the face of Toronto Blue Jay Jose Bautista in Sunday's game is landing the second-baseman free barbecue for life.

The owner of Heim Barbecue, which is set to open next month in Fort Worth, is offering Odor free food forever.

"We just thought it would be a funny thing if we Rougie free food because he wasn't the only one who wanted to punch Bautista after last year, so you know, it's kind of a justice, a little bit," said owner Travis Heim.

The Rangers lost last year to the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the playoffs in Toronto. Bautista hit a game-winning home run and flipped the bat, angering Rangers' fans.

Heim also is selling t-shirts promoting the free-food offer with the words "Rougned eats free" on the front.

He said response has been overwhelming.

"We originally were going to print 40," Heim said. "I think now we're up to close to 200."

It's not clear if Odor plans to eat the free barbecue, but Heim said, "It would be an honor if he did."

Heim and his wife started selling barbecue out of a truck last year. The business was such a success, they're opening a permanent location in an old building on the city's trendy Magnolia Avenue.

Heim said he does not want to promote violence in sports and joked that he hopes Odor doesn't eat him out of business.

"Hopefully he doesn't like barbecue too much because then we might be in the red," he said. "It's just a fun deal, you know."

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