The Atlanta Braves shuffle the outfield ahead of their next homestand. They announced they called up Alex Verdugo from Triple-A and optioned Bryan De La Cruz as a corresponding move.
The #Braves today recalled OF Alex Verdugo to Atlanta and optioned OF Bryan De La Cruz to Triple-A Gwinnett.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 17, 2025
The Athletic’s David O’Brien reported over the weekend that the call up was projected to happen over the recent Blue Jays series or ahead of the home series with the Twins. The latter it is.
Verdugo signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Braves toward the end of Spring Training. He played in nine games and had 33 plate appearnces with Triple-A Gwinnett as he worked his way to in-game shape. He had a slashline of .207/.303/.448 with two home runs and four RBIs.
De La Cruz had a solid five-game stretch during the Marlins and Phillies series but has completely sputtered out since then. In his last 18 plate appearances, he batted .059 with a .170 OPS. The Braves can’t afford to wait or him to get out of a slump.
The Braves needed a reshuffle after an especially egregious day in their series finale with the Toronto Blue Jays. They struck out 19 times and went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. When the ball goes in play in 13 of 32 trips to the plate, something has to change.
It adds insult to injury that Jurickson Profar is out because he tested positive for PEDs.
Verdugo’s numbers don’t stand out much, but the Braves are making the move because they have to try. Trying they are.
Knowing how recent call ups opperate, there is a decent chance he is in the lineup on Friday night. He should be able to play the full game. He wasn’t subbed out during Wednesday’s game between Triple-A Gwinnett and Lehigh Valley. That likely helped justify the decision to bring him up.
The Braves series against the Minnesota Twins starts on Friday. First pitch is schedueld for 7:15 p.m.
