Rangers want Profar playing every day, perhaps for potential suitor

Jurickson Profar will play shortstop every day during his stint with Triple A Round Rock.

Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister said he hopes Profar can get his bat going similar to 2016 when he started the season with Round Rock before being called up on May 27. With the Rangers, Profar exploded with 23 hits in his first 13 games.

“Hopefully he can try to recapture some of that,” Banister said. “This is about allowing a 24-year-old that was sitting on the bench to get the at-bats he needs.

Profar saw the bulk of the starts in left field and first base for much of April but has struggled at the plate and was replaced by Delino DeShields and Ryan Rua. He was hitting .135 with no extra-base hits in 46 plate appearances.

Not only does the move to the minors give Profar a chance to get his bat going, but it gives him a chance to audition as a potential trade option before the July 31 deadline. Utility infielder Pete Kozma, who was claimed off waivers from the Yankees on Sunday, took Profar’s spot on the roster. He joined the Rangers Monday in Houston.

“We are going to need Jurickson at some point. I’d much rather have a guy who is playing every day, who is fresh and playing every day as opposed to sitting on the bench,” Banister said. “We are a better ball club when Jurickson has been playing every day, he’s fresh in the batter’s box.”

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Rangers want Profar playing every day, perhaps for potential suitor."