Braves designate Alex Verdugo for assignment to make room for Jurickson Profar: Source

New York Times

02-07-2025

ATLANTA — The Braves have designated veteran outfielder Alex Verdugo for assignment to clear a roster spot for left fielder Jurickson Profar, sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
Profar who returns Wednesday from an 80-game PED suspension handed down four games into the season. He's expected to be in the lineup Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Angels, the first day he's eligible to return from the unpaid suspension.
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Verdugo hit just .239 with 10 doubles, no homers and a .585 OPS in 56 games including 49 starts in left field, where he platooned in recent weeks with Eli White. When White filled in for two weekend games in center field in place of slumping Michael Harris II, journeyman Stuart Fairchild got the starts in left field.
Braves left fielders have been the majors' worst offensively, batting a collective .207 and ranking last among 30 teams in home runs (two), RBIs (17) and OPS (.522).
White and even Fairchild have better speed and defense at this point than Verdugo, 29, a nine-year veteran who signed a $1.5 million free-agent deal with the Braves in the final week of spring training.
After a short stint in the minors to work himself into game condition at the start of the season, Verdugo took over in left field when Bryan De La Cruz struggled for 10 games in that role and was waived.
Verdugo was initially given the opportunity to play every day and bat leadoff while Profar was suspended and Ronald Acuña Jr. was on the injured list completing a year-long rehab from knee surgery.
Verdugo debuted April 18 and hit .322 with seven doubles and an .825 OPS in his first 14 games, but since then he's hit just .203 (28-for-138) with three doubles, five RBIs and a .481 OPS in 42 games, with 27 strikeouts and eight walks.
After Acuña returned May 23, Verdugo was dropped in the order and lately batted seventh more than anywhere else.