Jurickson Profar provides Braves one last glimmer of hope

The history of the Braves makes them difficult to quit.

Atlanta has been the class of the National League for over three decades. They’ve been to the postseason for seven straight years, winning six division titles and a World Series. This is a club that was once again projected to win the NL East coming into the season and given the second-best odds to win the World Series, behind only the Dodgers. The talent is abundant, at least on paper, but the last three-plus months have made it very difficult to see the light.

Several underperforming stars have the Braves offense looking almost unrecognizable, ranking in the bottom third of the league in nearly every category. And most recently, injuries have ravaged the entire starting rotation, the latest being Spencer Schwellenbach, who now joins Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and AJ Smith-Shawver as pitchers who might not appear again this season.

Already trailing by 6.5 games in the Wild Card, the mountain to climb now feels insurmountable. About the only way the Braves somehow turn this ship around is if their offense does a complete 180, and last night, Jurickson Profar‘s return might have provided fans their last glimmer of hope.

The Braves only significant offseason acquisition returned from the suspension list after missing 80 games for PEDs, and immediately, his impact was felt. He couldn’t come through in his first two plate appearances with runners in scoring position, but he singled in his third at-bat and then hit his first home run in a Braves uniform his next time in the box.

Atlanta’s offense exploded for eight runs, the most they’ve scored in a game since June 13th against the Rockies.

Profar alone isn’t nearly enough firepower to spark a turnaround. However, there is something to be said about the kind of impact a refreshing presence can have on an entire group. Profar hasn’t been mired in the rut with the rest of the guys for the last three months, which has probably felt like three years in the clubhouse. To him, the season just began, and that kind of positivity could have a ripple effect from the top down.

It still feels incredibly unlikely, and one good game isn’t going to make fans forget about his transgressions, but right now, Jurickson Profar is about the only hope the Braves have of making the postseason for an eighth straight season.