For the second time in just three months, Alex Verdugo is back on the market, searching for a new team after being designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves. According to The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal, the Braves made the move to clear a roster spot for Jurickson Profar, who just returned from an 80-game suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
Verdugo’s stint in Atlanta was short-lived and underwhelming. After signing with the Braves late in spring training, he appeared in 56 games but slashed just .239/.296/.289 with 10 doubles and 12 RBIs, producing a career-worst 65 OPS+. The numbers weren’t enough to justify a roster spot, especially with Profar’s return looming.
Once one of the most hyped prospects in baseball, Verdugo showed flashes of his potential during a solid four-year run with the Boston Red Sox from 2020 to 2023, hitting .281 with a respectable on-base and slugging percentage. However, things took a turn when the Red Sox traded him to their archrivals, the Yankees, ahead of the 2024 season. He struggled in New York, hitting just .233 across 149 games.
Now in 2025, Verdugo has failed to reverse that downward trajectory. Despite fresh starts with both the Yankees and Braves in the past year, his production has continued to decline, casting doubt on his future in the big leagues.
Meanwhile, Profar returns with high expectations after signing a three-year, $42 million deal with Atlanta following a breakout 2024 campaign with the Padres. After completing his suspension, he went 3-for-15 during a brief Triple-A rehab assignment and now reclaims his spot in the Braves’ lineup—potentially at Verdugo’s expense for good.
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