By Lew Patton
We learned earlier this week that Rangers infielder and former No. 1 prospect Jurickson Profar is set to undergo shoulder surgery, which puts him at risk for missing a second straight season. Profar opted for rehab over surgery last September, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. He has faced some criticism in recent days for how the situation played out, but Rangers general manager Jon Daniels defended his young infielder to Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
“He did a tremendous job, saw a lot of results. And he’s hurt,” Daniels said. “In a lot of ways this was the tougher call to make. He put the work in and it hasn’t worked out. Fortunately, he’s still 22 and we will get him back, we will get him out there, it’s just going to take longer than any of us want.”
Daniels said he understands why Profar preferred to try rehabbing without surgery. Profar was hoping to make it back for the 2015 season and was in good spirits and feeling good throughout his recovery process this winter.
“I think that’s part of it. I also think any time you can avoid surgery it’s probably a good idea,” Daniels said. “That was somewhat his mentality. He felt he had a chance to avoid it and have a better chance to contribute this year.”
Profar likely would have been on track to contribute in 2015 if he just gone under the knife last September, so you can understand the frustration on the part of the fanbase, but surgery is always the last option and it’s his decision to make. He took a chance and it didn’t work out. As angry as some fans might be, you can only imagine how Profar feels. It’s unfortunate, as he’s now missing some crucial development time, but he’s young enough where redemption is still possible.
