Jurickson Profar could leave Padres for beat-up NL West rival

Despite having one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2022, it has been hard for Jurickson Profar to find work. Not only have the San Diego Padres chose not to retain him after chasing big fish like Xander Bogaerts, but the 29 other teams have not given him a contract.

Profar, who is currently showing off with the Netherlands team in the World Baseball Classic, was firmly entrenched as San Diego's left fielder last season following his reinvention as a do-it-all utility player with the Rangers and Oakland Athletics. He has great range in the outfield and some pop in his bat.

While a contender could use his services to great effect in the right role, Profar's options are so limited that his best choice might be one of the worst teams in the league. To make matters even worse, the team in question is one of San Diego's most hated rivals in the division.

According to both Jon Heyman and Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, the Colorado Rockies have been poking around the Profar market as they try to see if he can join their mission to play .500 ball in 2023. San Diego would hate seeing him in purple 15 times every year.

Will Jurickson Profar leave Padres for Rockies?

Profar hit .244 with 26 home runs and 116 RBI in three seasons with the Padres. Considering how he didn't play in the majors at all for two whole seasons, the fact that he has become a solid everyday player is one of the most impressive turnarounds in recent history.

Kris Bryant may have left field locked down in Colorado, but Randall Grichuk is dealing with some injuries and Charlie Blackmon may not be ready for opening day. Beyond them, Michael Toglia and Nolan Jones, who was recently acquired from the Guardians, may end up starting.

While it may stink to see Profar join Colorado, he could benefit from playing in Coors Field. Not only will the altitude help his power, but a line-drive hitter like Profar could start piling up the doubles and triples due to Colorado's spacious outfield dimensions.

A strong showing in the WBC might be all it takes for Profar to prove to the rest of the baseball world that he is worthy of not only a spot on a major league roster, but one where he can play every day.