After spending a season with the New York Yankees — a year in which the team reached its 41st World Series appearance — 28-year-old Alex Verdugo expected to land another lucrative contract, especially after earning a career-best $9.2 million. But that deal never came. The Yankees made no move to bring him back, and Verdugo stayed unsigned until just a week before spring training ended, when the Atlanta Braves offered him a one-year, $1.5 million deal and immediately sent him to the minors. It was unclear when — or even if — he’d make it back to the majors.
Then, circumstances shifted. Jurickson Profar, a key offseason acquisition by the Braves with a three-year, $42 million contract, was suspended 80 games for testing positive for a banned substance. That left Atlanta in need of outfield help — and potentially opened the door for Verdugo, who had struggled with a .647 OPS in New York, his lowest in a full season.
According to Fansided’s Eric Cole, with the Braves stumbling to a 4-11 start, the team might be counting on Verdugo to help them rebound and extend their playoff streak to eight straight years. Cole noted that, while it might be unrealistic to expect All-Star-level play from Verdugo, the Braves don’t need that. A solid .270 average, some power, and strong defense would be a significant upgrade.
MLB.com’s Mark Bowman added that while Verdugo may not be a long-term solution, “he definitely won’t be any worse than Kelenic.” Verdugo recently hit a three-run homer in a minor league game and was pulled shortly after — sparking speculation he was being called up to join the Braves for their series in Toronto. However, when that series began on Monday, Verdugo had not yet joined the team. Atlanta begins a six-game homestand on Friday, which could be the next logical window for his return to the big leagues.
