The American League West is getting a bit of a shakeup with the Texas Rangers trading super-utility player Jurickson Profar to the Oakland Athletics in a three-team deal that also involves the Tampa Bay Rays.
Profar was expected to become the full-time third baseman in Texas following Adrian Beltre's retirement. The 25-year-old switch-hitter enjoyed a fine 2018 campaign, hitting 20 home runs with a .793 OPS in 146 games for the Rangers, seeing time at every infield position as well as left field.
The consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball ahead of the 2013 season, Profar missed the entire 2014 and 2015 seasons with a shoulder injury. He returned to play 90 games in 2016 and then played just 22 games in 2017.
Profar will presumably become the Athletics' new second baseman, replacing free agent Jed Lowrie.
The Rangers will receive infielder Eli White from Oakland and pitchers Brock Burke, Kyle Bird and Yoel Espinal from the Rays. Tampa Bay gets pitcher Emilio Pagan and the 38th overall pick in the 2019 draft from Oakland, as well as pitcher Rollie Lacy from the Rangers.
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