As the Atlanta Braves have watched offensive production fade from both Alex Verdugo and Eli White, questions are being answered. Weeks ago, before the team's season had imploded, it was fair to wonder where exactly Jurickson Profar stood with the organization. The outfielder was the prize addition of the 2025 offseason and played only four games before being suspended for breaking the league's banned substance policy. Add in the stellar early production from both White and Verdugo, and it was fair to question if the team wanted to go back to a player not eligible for postseason play.
However, this doesn't appear to be a concern any longer with the team doing its best to make sure it is far from any postseason contention. With this in mind, Profar is going to be slotted back into the team's starting lineup when he is eligible to return at the end of the month. This creates an interesting decision for Atlanta in how the team will choose to create a roster spot after the recent weeks of failure.
Jurickson Profar's Return Creates a Problem for the Braves
Looking at the team's current depth chart, it becomes clear who is going to pay the price for Profar's return. Outfielder Stuart Fairchild is going to find himself the odd man out when he is able to able to return from the team's injured list. Already, Fairchild was offering a limited offensive ceiling and was simply on Atlanta's roster due to failures from Profar, Jarred Kelenic, and Bryan De La Cruz.
After an offseason of bargain shopping, Atlanta was desperate to find anything close to capable outfield production. With the return of the team's star and Michael Harris providing stellar defense in center, the team is going to put Profar in left, demoting both Verdugo and White to the bench. This leaves the team with no choice but to demote Fairchild.
If the outfielder is still on the injured list when Profar is ready to make his return, the team will cut José Azócar, who is serving as Fairchild's current replacement. Either way, the team now has a clear path to putting the frustrating veteran back into the lineup in what appears to be a lost 2025 season.