Alex Verdugo spent most of spring training without a team before he signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves a week before Opening Day.
The former Boston Red Sox outfielder has been with Atlanta’s Triple-A affiliate since the start of the season, but could soon find himself back in the big leagues.
According to The Athletic’s David O’Brien, “all signs point” to Verdugo joining the Braves during their series with the Blue Jays in Toronto or when they return to Atlanta on Friday.
Verdugo, who spent last season with the New York Yankees, didn’t receive a single MLB offer until the Braves elected to sign him. The 28-year-old had a down season in the Bronx with a .233 batting average and a .647 OPS.
But the Braves need outfield help after Jurickson Profar was suspended 80 games for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program after he tested positive for chorionic gonadotropin. Ronald Acuña Jr. is also sidelined due to a torn ACL he suffered in June.
In seven games with the Gwinnett Stripers, Verdugo has slashed .182/.250/.500 with two home runs and four RBI.
