Are the Atlanta Braves quietly phasing out Alex Verdugo? Because from the looks of it, that sure seems to be the case — and that’s a move nobody really saw coming a few weeks ago.
Back when Verdugo landed in Atlanta, there was buzz. He brought that left-handed veteran presence, some fire, some contact ability — the kind of guy you pencil in against right-handers, no questions asked. And for a brief moment it worked.
He looked like a midseason steal, someone who could slot in and stabilize a lineup that’s been grasping at anything resembling consistency. But fast forward to June, and suddenly, Verdugo’s nowhere to be found.
Verdugo Benched Against Righties?
Let’s start with Tuesday. The Braves sat Verdugo against Milwaukee’s Quinn Priester — a righty. That should’ve been a green light for a guy like Verdugo, who is historically stronger against right-handers. But nope.
Instead, Brian Snitker rolled with Eli White in left field. White’s not exactly lighting it up either — a .206 average and .537 OPS since May 1 doesn’t scream “hot hand.” However, the fact that White is still getting the nod suggests something deeper is at play.
And it’s not an isolated choice either. Verdugo also rode the pine on Sunday against right-hander Landen Roupp. Two righties. Two games. No Verdugo. That’s not a coincidence — that’s a trend.
Numbers Don’t Lie in Atlanta
You don’t have to dig too deep to understand what’s happening here. Verdugo’s cold. He’s 6-for-his-last-36, with just one lonely RBI during that stretch. His OPS has dipped to .613. He’s not driving the ball, he’s not getting on base, and he’s not offering the kind of spark that forces his manager’s hand.
It’s a sharp turn for a guy who was seen as a clubhouse-positive, low-risk pickup. But in a season where the Braves are already drowning in underperformance, they simply don’t have the luxury to keep rolling out bats that aren’t producing. For a team sitting at 29-38, every single roster spot is suddenly up for reevaluation.
Crunch Time for the Braves
Here’s the brutal truth: the Braves are 14.5 games back in the NL East. They’re 9 games out of the Wild Card. They’re on track to miss the postseason for the first time since 2017. Barring a dramatic turnaround, they’ll go down as baseball’s biggest letdown of the year. So yeah, tough decisions are coming.
And that’s what makes Verdugo’s benchings so telling. It’s not just about slumps — everyone slumps. It’s about trajectory and whether the front office thinks there’s a future role here or if they’re ready to move on.
The coming weeks could get really interesting. If Verdugo doesn’t start clawing back some ABs — and soon — his time in Atlanta may be shorter than anyone expected.
