Braves Designate Alex Verdugo for Assignment After 56 Games

Atlanta reportedly is making room for Jurickson Profar to return from suspension.

Verdugo batted .239 in 56 games for Atlanta. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

For the second time in three months, Alex Verdugo is looking for his next stop.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Wednesday that the Atlanta Braves have designated Verdugo for assignment, clearing room for Jurickson Profar, who was suspended 80 games for a performance-enhancing substance.

Verdugo went unsigned for most of the offseason until he landed a deal with the Braves in late March. In 56 games with the Braves, Verdugo batted .239/.296/.289 with 10 doubles and 12 RBIs. His 65 OPS+ is by far the worst mark of his career.

Verdugo, once ranked as one of the top prospects in all of baseball, starred for four years for the Boston Red Sox from 2020 to '23 and batted .281/.338/.424 in 493 games. Boston flipped him to the arch rival New York Yankees ahead of the 2024 campaign, and he went on to struggle in pinstripes, logging a .233/.291/.356 slash line in 149 games.

Verdugo wasn't able to turn around his 2024 hardships in '25.

Profar, after serving his 80-game suspension, went 3-for-15 in three games with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers during his rehab assignment.

The Braves signed Profar to a three-year contract worth $42 million in January after his career year with the San Diego Padres in 2024 when he hit .280/.380/.459 with 24 homers. He was suspended by MLB in March after four games.

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