SURPRISE, Ariz. – The World Baseball Classic will begin without either Jurickson Profar or Adrian Beltre participating.
Profar informed the Rangers over the weekend that he's skipping the WBC in an effort to try and make the big-league club out of spring training. Beltre decided to bypass the first round because of soreness in his right calf. He could join the Dominican Republic for the second round if he feels better and the team advances.
Profar, who was scheduled to play for the Netherlands, had gone back and forth with the decision. He was originally going to play but then changed his mind. But he started to have second thoughts partly because he was getting pressure to play in his native Curacao.
Now Profar, who turns 20 this week, is focused on trying to win a utility spot on the Rangers.
"It was a tough decision for him and we left that decision up to him," Texas general manager Jon Daniels said. "He understands the landscape and the situation and he communicated to us that he wants to put himself in the best position to make the club. I give him a lot of credit. It was something he wrestled with and went back-and-forth on and an opportunity to play for his country and with some of his friends he's been working out with all winter, and at the same time he's committed to putting himself in position to try to make this team."
Profar declined to comment on his decision.
Daniels said that Profar's decision doesn't impact his chances of making the team. He also wouldn't handicap those chances.
"He understands that he's competing for a bench role and that it would have to be more meaningful than a traditional bench role to make sense for him," Daniels said. "We'll see. Things happen. He comes out and does what he's capable of doing and demonstrates to the staff that he's someone that can help us and Wash wants him on the club and feels he can find enough playing time for him where it makes sense, then that's something we'll discuss."
Texas manager Ron Washington would have been happy with Profar's decision either way it went.
"He had to make a very big decision at a very young age," Washington said. "He felt it was best if he stayed here so I'll back him. To make a decision like that, you're darn right he became a grown man. The kid is in his teens and he had to make a decision whether to stay here or go play with his country. I know that was hard."
Daniels didn't seem too concerned about Beltre's calf, saying that if this were the regular season Beltre would be playing in a game.
Beltre agreed with that assessment.
"It's been sore for a while since I've been working out at home," Beltre said. "I came here and it's still sore and we wanted to make sure what it was. There's still some inflammation that I have there but nothing serious. I'm not concerned about it. It just makes sense. When we start playing games I want to be at 100 percent."
