When you’re 40–52, 10 games out of a Wild Card spot, and your lineup looks like it’s been sleepwalking through summer, you’re not exactly overflowing with good news. But the Atlanta Braves, despite their offensive collapse in 2025, have one surprise sparkplug swinging his way out of the shadows — Jurickson Profar.
Three Homers in Eight Games For the Braves
In Wednesday’s 5-4 walk-off loss to the Athletics, Profar connected on a two-run homer with two outs in the fourth — his third bomb since returning July 2 from an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.
That homer tied the game. It also turned heads. In just eight games, he’s driven in six runs, logged four extra-base hits, and brought a dose of edge to a Braves offense that’s been flat. Is his .235 average eye-popping? Not quite. Has he drawn a walk? Not yet. But is he producing more than most of his teammates? Absolutely.
You don’t have to squint to see it. On a 162-game pace, he’d be tracking for 61 homers and 122 RBIs — again, not sustainable, but undeniably loud for a guy who spent almost three months completely off the field.
Can Power Replace the Past?
Let’s not sugarcoat it — the PED suspension still lingers. And no matter how many dingers Profar hits, it’s a topic that’s not going to disappear entirely. But the more he connects at the plate, the more fans and analysts start shifting from why he was gone to what he’s doing now.
That’s where things get interesting. Profar had his first All-Star season last year. Career highs. A new leg kick. A stance change. And now, even after 80 days of sitting out, the power looks real. It’s not proof, it’s not redemption — but it’s a start.
Postseason Ineligible, But Does That Even Matter?
Profar can’t play in October. But the Braves — at 40–52 and fading — probably won’t have to worry about that clause. Right now, they need bodies who can hit, not just fill space. And Profar is hitting.
He may not erase the past. But in a lineup gasping for life, his bat is doing more than most. And if the Braves have any hope of salvaging pride from a season slipping away, they’ll take the production wherever they can get it — even from the guy who wasn’t supposed to be part of the story anymore.
Like it or not, he’s back in the narrative. And for the moment, he’s loud enough to make some of that noise fade.
