Texas Rangers to Go with Ryan Rua in Left Field
By Brad Faber
Ryan Rua appears to have snagged a starting gig with the Texas Rangers after Jurickson Profar’s continued struggles.
After winning back-to-back AL West titles under manager Jeff Banister the past two years, the Texas Rangers are off to a bit of a slow start. The Rangers have gone just 10-12 thus far in April.
On Tuesday, Evan Grant of Dallas Morning News reported that the Rangers would be making a change to their starting lineup. Per Grant, Banister has said that Ryan Rua will now be getting most of the reps in left field.
Rua made his major league debut with the Rangers in 2014. He appeared in a career-high 99 games with Texas last season, hitting a respectable .258/.331/.400 (92 OPS+) with eight home runs. He has hit just .176/.222/.265 so far this season, but he belted his first home run of the year in the Rangers’ 14-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night. The homer was a grand slam, the first of Rua’s career, off Twins reliever Matt Belisle. Though he has been named the Rangers’ left fielder, he played first base in last night’s game.
Profar to the Bench?
With Rua getting the nod in left field, it also appears that Jurickson Profar may once again be out of a starting job. Once a top prospect, Profar first came up with the Rangers back in 2012 and had a solid showing through 85 games with the Rangers in 2013. While the trade of Ian Kinsler to the Detroit Tigers appeared to open up second base for Profar, he battled injuries and was kept on the sidelines for two full seasons.
During the 2015 season, while Profar was still out, Rougned Odor was able to seize the seize the second base job. However, Profar returned in 2016 and had a decent year as a utility man, hitting .239/.321/.338 (75 OPS+) with five homers. Though he was given an opportunity to show what he could do in left field this season, Profar struggled to the tune of a .135/.289/.135 (23 OPS+) batting line.
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As Grant further notes, it will also be interesting to see what happens in regards to the Rangers’ starting lineup when likely future Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre returns from injury. In Beltre’s absence, Joey Gallo has been playing third base and has already hit a tied-for-AL-best seven home runs. Gallo has experience in left field as well, logging 19 games (14 starts) at the position in his young career.