Braves DFA Former Dodgers & Red Sox Star

To say this season hasn't gone well for the Atlanta Braves is an understatement. Trailing even the Miami Marlins in the NL East Division, and five other teams as well in the Wild Card chase, the Braves have been struggling to find themselves in 2025. The latest casualty is former LA Dodgers and Boston Red Sox star outfielder Alex Verdugo, who they have designated for assignment.

Braves have designated Alex Verdugo for assignment pic.twitter.com/W15CNJmqs2
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 2, 2025

Verdugo was DFA'd to make room for Jurickson Profar, who is returning this week from an 80-game suspension for PED use. Profar will be the everyday left fielder.

Verdugo was batting a meagre .239 with a .585 OPS and zero home runs, after similarly struggling in his one season with the NY Yankees last year.

The Braves signed Verdugo to a one-year, $1.5 million contract late in spring training, which at the time, was puzzling, as they had signed Profar during the winter. But just a few days later, the latter's drug suspension was revealed.

Profar had a career year, by far, in 2024, with a career-high 24 homers, 85 RBIs and an .839 OPS for the San Diego Padres, and rode that into signing a three-year, $42 million deal with the Braves in January. So far, it's a contract Atlanta is regretting, though we'll see if Profar can be a spark for this team to get back into the playoff hunt.

As for Verdugo, a career .270 hitter with a .732 OPS, he'll try to catch on elsewhere after two disappointing seasons.