Jurickson Profar is easing a long time Braves’ concern

Jurickson Profar completely screwed over the Braves when he was suspended for 80 games to start the season. It left the club scrambling for answers just four games into the season, and no matter what Alex Anthopoulos threw at the problem, nothing seemed to stick.

Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz were AAA players masking as major-leaguers. Alex Verdugo provided a spark for an instant, but it quickly faded as he was eventually designated for assignment. The most positive thing to come out of the entire situation was Eli White, who finally got an extended look at the major-league level after nearly a decade in the minors.

Still, White’s production paled in comparison to what the Braves thought they were going to get from Profar, who was coming off a career-year in which he was named an All-Star for the first time. The team suffered because of it, and when Profar finally did return, the hole in the standings was too deep to climb out of.

The suspension also cast doubt on the Braves’ long-term investment. Before 2024, Profar had never posted an OPS above .800 and had just one other season with more than 2.0 WAR in an 11-year career. Betting on him to repeat his breakout always carried risk — throw in a PED suspension, and the contract looked like a disaster waiting to happen.

Maybe it still will be. But right now, Profar is at least giving the Braves confidence in a position that’s been a black hole for years.

After homering four times in his last three games, Profar’s OPS is now up to .838 through 46 games. Since returning from suspension, he’s blasted all 10 of his home runs. At that pace, he would hit nearly 40 home runs over a 162-game sample size, easily topping his career-high of 24 homers, which he set last season.

For a player that is evidently coming off PED use, that’s pretty damn impressive. Profar’s power doesn’t appear to have left him, and for the first time in a long time, the Braves may finally have stability in left field.