Profar claims this Rangers player ‘lets me know every day that he misses me’
The green jersey of the Oakland A’s just didn’t look right Tuesday on Jurickson Profar, especially when clashed against the blue tops and gray pants of his former team.
But that’s baseball, when a team’s former top prospect is traded away to a division rival over fears that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension or stay after testing free agency.
The Texas Rangers sent Profar west just before Christmas, closing a 10-year union between club and player that at point seemed like it might never end.
There are no hard feelings in the Profar camp. He’s a ballplayer, and he’s getting a chance to do all that he has ever wanted to do – play every day.
The Rangers gave him that chance last season, though it took a couple of injuries, but Profar produced the best season of his career, and in so doing created his biggest Rangers regret.
“I feel bad for the fans because I didn’t really get a chance to do something for them,” he said. “When I got traded, I didn’t know that I had that many fans.”
Profar played against the Rangers for the first time in an exhibition game at HoHoKam Park, starting at second base. He delayed his media time before the game so that he could dish out hugs to third-base coach Tony Beasley and hitting coach Luis Ortiz.
Profar said that he talks regularly with Beasley and former teammates like Elvis Andrus and Rougned Odor. One guy, though, is in contact more than any other.
“Joey [Gallo] talks to me all the time,” Profar said. “He lets me know every day that he misses me. I talk to a lot of those guys all the time.”
Profar will serve as Oakland’s primary second baseman this season rather than bouncing around as he did with the Rangers. Profar will not allow playing multiple positions as an excuse for the MLB-leading 25 errors he committed last season.
However, his true defensive potential is more likely to be realized at one position.
“This is a great opportunity,” Profar said. “I’m just focused on one position and really working every day to be the best I can at one position. This is more comfortable.”
The A’s have made Profar feel at home, a process that started with the Dec. 21 trade that also included the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rangers acquired infielder Eli White from the A’s and pitchers Brock Burke, Kyle Bird and Yoel Espinal.
And he’s making the A’s feel at home. They can’t get over how much he smiles.
“Within days it seems like he’s fit in about as well as we’ve had here very quickly,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We’ve had some turnover over the years, and certain guys able to make it quicker than others. He seems like a natural at it, especially for a guy who’s been in one organization his entire career.”
This story was originally published March 5, 2019 at 2:04 PM.
