Astros' Alex Bregman slams Rangers' Rougned Odor for WBC bat flip

Venezuela's Jose Altuve of Venezuela, right, celebrates with his teammate Rougned Odor after scoring a run in the fifth inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Italy, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Saturday, March 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Luis Gutierrez) less Venezuela's Jose Altuve of Venezuela, right, celebrates with his teammate Rougned Odor after scoring a run in the fifth inning of a World Baseball Classic game against Italy, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Saturday, ... more Photo: Luis Gutierrez, Associated Press Photo: Luis Gutierrez, Associated Press Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close Astros' Alex Bregman slams Rangers' Rougned Odor for WBC bat flip 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

The Astros-Rangers rivalry is starting a little early this season.

First, Astros fans were upset that Venezuela manager Omar Vizquel had most-hated Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor in the starting lineup instead of Jose Altuve for Monday night's crucial World Baseball Classic game against Italy.

Then, Odor ended up driving in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, and the Astros' Alex Bregman called him out on Twitter for a stupid bat-flip that could have cost Venezuela the game.

In the top of the ninth inning, Venezuela and Italy were tied at 2 with the go-ahead run at first. When Odor blasted a ball to deep left-center, he triumphantly flipped his bat and strutted to first base, thinking he'd hit a home run. Unfortunately for him, the ball hit off the top of the wall and Odor settled for an extremely long single.

Odor eventually came around to score the insurance run, which proved crucial when Italy added a run in the bottom of the ninth before losing 4-3.

Before Odor scored, Bregman, who is playing for Team USA in the WBC, tweeted about Odor's antics. The tweet was only up for a few minutes before Bregman deleted it.

Photo: Twitter Alex Bregman tweeted about Rougned Odor's bat flip in the World...

Not coincidentally, Bregman's Twitter avi is of him rounding the bases after a home run against the Rangers with Odor looking on in the background.

On Tuesday afternoon, Bregman took to Twitter again to clarify that he had "zero problem with him and zero problems with bat flips. just don't like that it could have hurt their chances of winnin."

@JarvisJKing I have zero problem with him and zero problems with bat flips. just don't like that it could have hurt their chances of winnin — Alex Bregman (@ABREG_1) March 14, 2017 @JarvisJKing thats it. People blowing this outta proportion. I think he is a great player and a gamer. — Alex Bregman (@ABREG_1) March 14, 2017

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Altuve did eventually get into the game for Venezuela, flying out as a pinch hitter for the final out in the top of the ninth.

So far in the WBC, Altuve has played in all four of Venezuela's games, going 4 for 14 (.286) with four singles. Odor has only gotten four at-bats with Venezuela, going 2-for-4 with a double. For the United States, Bregman has played in just one game, striking out in his one at-bat as a pinch-hitter.

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The United States, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic all advanced to the second round of pool play together. The U.S. and Venezuela play each other at 8 p.m. Wednesday at San Diego's Petco Park.

Bregman is scheduled to be in the starting lineup Wednesday.