Fantasy Fallout: Jurickson Profar Needs to be Owned During Brief Tryout
Here are the fantasy implications of Texas Rangers 2B/SS Jurickson Profar being called up to the major leagues while 2B Rougned Odor serves a seven-game suspension:
Season-Long Fantasy
The Rangers re-called Profar from Triple-A Round Rock Friday, with the intention of him playing as the everyday second baseman while Odor serves his suspension. Profar was thrust into an ideal fantasy situation, as he was instantly put in the role of lead-off hitter. His stay in the majors may be brief, but he'll have the opportunity to make an immediate fantasy impact.
Profar's previous stints in the majors have been less than impressive. He's slashed .231/.301/.343 with seven home runs, 32 runs scored, 28 RBIs and two stolen bases across 341 career plate appearances and 94 games.
He's looked much better in 42 games with Round Rock this season, slashing .284/.356/.426 with five home runs, 28 runs scored, 26 RBIs and four stolen bases through 189 PAs. He owns a solid 8.5% walk rate and a very good 13.8% strikeout rate. He's been showing speed that has been absent since his early days in the minors in 2011 and 2012.
Texas ranks eighth in the MLB with 218 runs scored. They're 27-20 on the year, 1.5 games back of the AL West lead. Profar will fill in for Odor both on defense and - at least temporarily - on offense.
Profar replaces Odor's paltry .287 OBP atop the Rangers' lineup. Even with his low OBP, Odor had scored 31 runs on the season. He has never posted a BB% over 5.0 in his career, so Profar could have a chance to hold onto the lead-off spot beyond Odor's return, if he can find some early success.
Profar needs to be scooped up in all AL-Only leagues and all mixed leagues of at least 10 teams. His success in the minors this season has been undeniable, he has one of the league's top offenses behind him, and he plays in the AL's most hitter-friendly ballpark.
Owners will stand to benefit for at least seven games, with the opportunity for much more, and the potential for Profar to make a long-term move to the Rangers' tumultuous left field spot.