The Atlanta Braves designated a struggling Alex Verdugo to make room for Jurickson Profar's Atlanta return. It is hard to be excited considering that the outfielder's absence was self-imposed. Making a selfish decision to violate the league's banned substance list isn't going to make the outfielder terribly popular among the fan base. This is especially the case when Wednesday night's results illustrated exactly what the outfielder could've brought to the team's 2025 lineup. This included setting the stage for the turning point of a game following a familiar script.
Atlanta fell behind early and seemed unable to get anything going offensively. This is where Profar stepped in, delivering a two-out single that would set the stage for another single and a Sean Murphy three-run homer to put the Braves on top in a blink. This would lead to the Los Angeles Angels' pen completely unraveling and giving up three consecutive baserunners to set up a Matt Olson grand slam. It was an overdue offensive outburst that was all set up by the returning left fielder.
Jurickson Profar's Return Serves as a Reminder of What the Braves Were Missing
The outfielder would later add in a solo home run and continue to help spark life in the Atlanta offense. While this is a positive development and exactly why the signing made sense, it is extremely frustrating as well. It serves as a reminder of what the Braves have been missing due to a selfish decision that cost the team valuable wins. What position might the Braves find themselves in if Profar hadn't broken the league's rules?
While this is an impossible hypothetical to answer, it isn't difficult to form a cohesive argument that the Braves would find themselves in a far better position. Profar was supposed to be a consistent source of offense and a reliable defender. Instead, his decision forced the team to go through a revolving door of options that all inevitably underachieved.
As much as this should be a celebration due to Atlanta's offensive reurn to form, it is hard not to view the win as a frustrating reminder. It is easy to see a scenario where a healthy Braves team is still firmly in the postseason picture. Not all of this falls on the shoulders of Profar, but also an injury-riddled Atlanta rotation. The difference clearly being that only one of these setbacks was within a player's control. With this in mind, Profar has a long way to go to win back a fan base that has every reason to remain frustrated with what was inarguably a selfish decision.