The Oakland A's acquired infielder Jurickson Profar from the Texas Rangers in a three-team trade in which the A's sent minor league infielder Eli White and international bonus slot cash to Texas and right-handed pitcher Emilio Pagán and the A's Competitive Balance Round A pick in the 2019 First-Year Player Draft to Tampa Bay. The Rangers sent right-handed pitcher Rollie Lacy to the Rays and Tampa Bay sent minor league left-handed pitchers Kyle Bird and Brock Burke and minor league right-handed pitcher Yoel Espinal to Texas.
Profar batted .254 in 146 games with Texas last year and had career highs in nearly every offensive category, including home runs (20), RBI (77) and walks (54). He was one of just five American Leaguers with at least 35 doubles, 20 home runs, 75 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 2018. The 25-year-old switch-hitter made 61 starts at shortstop, 46 at third base, 20 at first base and nine at second base. Profar made his Major League debut with Texas in 2012 at the age of 19 and is a .240 career hitter with 32 home runs and 130 RBI in 352 games in five seasons in the majors (2012-13, 16-18).
Pagán went 3-1 with a 4.35 ERA and .230 opponents batting average in 55 games over three stints with Oakland last year. He walked just 19 for a .294 opponents on-base percentage but 29 of the 55 hits he allowed were for extra bases for a .473 slugging percentage. Pagan was acquired from Seattle following the 2017 season and is 5-4 with a 3.85 ERA in 89 relief appearances in two seasons in the majors.
White spent the entire 2018 season at Double-A Midland where he led the Texas League in on-base percentage (.388), hits (154) and runs scored (81) to earn TL Midseason and Postseason honors. The 25-year-old right-handed hitter was drafted by the A's in the 11th round in 2016 and has a .286 average in 310 games in three professional seasons.