The Atlanta Braves are in search of answers as they limp to a disappointing 4-10 start to the season. While the return of ace Spencer Strider this week against the Blue Jays brings some much-needed hope to the pitching staff, Atlanta’s bigger issue may lie on the offensive side of the ball.
Some fans believe the answer is already in the organization: Alex Verdugo. The veteran outfielder launched his second home run of the season for Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday, igniting a flurry of fan demand on social media for his promotion to the big league roster.
Despite entering the game hitting just .150, fans were quick to rally behind Verdugo, hopeful he could inject life into the struggling lineup. “Time to bring him up! We need his bat in the lineup,” one fan commented under Gwinnett’s post featuring the home run clip.
Verdugo, who signed late in spring training, was assigned to Triple-A to get up to speed. Last season, he played 149 games for the Yankees, batting .233 with 13 homers. One fan on X simply declared, “He’s ready.”
Alex Verdugo
Atlanta’s original plan may have been to ease Verdugo in gradually, but the current state of the outfield might force the club’s hand. With Ronald Acuña Jr. still rehabbing from knee surgery and Jurickson Profar sidelined by an 80-game PED suspension, the Braves have had to lean heavily on Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz to cover the corner outfield spots alongside Michael Harris II.
Unfortunately, neither Kelenic nor De La Cruz has delivered, especially Kelenic—who entered Saturday with a career .212 average over nearly 400 games. “Kelenic is not the answer,” one fan bluntly posted on the Braves’ official X account.
With growing frustration from the fanbase and the team buried at the bottom of the NL East, Verdugo may get the call sooner rather than later. Fans are clinging to the hope that he could be the spark Atlanta needs to turn things around—but for now, they’ll have to wait and see.
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