Things are going better for the Braves since the team’s infamous 0-7 start, but Alex Anthopoulos, Brian Snitker and the Braves key decision makers are going to have more to make as they head through the summer months.
Key among them is sorting out the team’s outfield, which quickly fell into disarray after Jurickson Profar’s 80-game suspension for testing positive for PEDs. In addition to losing Profar, Jarred Kelenic has not risen to the occasion, and Michael Harris II has struggled to get going – all while the team waits for Ronald Acuna Jr. to re-enter the fold after returning from his second torn ACL.
Some role players, namely Alex Verdugo and Eli White, have eased the burden in the Braves outfield that has helped the team’s results return to a semblance of normalcy, but it hardly feels like a permanent solution. Finding that solution is made more complicated by Profar’s 2025 postseason suspension, meaning even if he returns and plays a key role in helping the team return to the playoffs, he won’t be able to contribute to a potential World Series run.
So, what kind of move should Anthopoulos make to improve the team? Profar’s status remains uncertain – not only because of the suspension, but also questions around how much he’s benefitted on the field in his career from any supposed gains from PED use. Last season was Profar’s only year of his 14-year career with an OPS over .800 and earned him his only All-Star nod. Anthopolous and the Braves will need to make determinations on whether he can be relied upon to continue his 2024 production sooner rather than later.