Braves DFA Alex Verdugo to clear room for Jurickson Profar

The Atlanta Braves designated Alex Verdugo for assignment to make room for fellow outfielder Jurickson Profar in a series of roster moves on Wednesday.

Profar is returning from an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. He was scheduled to start in left field and bat fifth in Wednesday night's home game against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Braves also placed right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach on the 15-day injured list with a fractured right elbow and optioned right-hander Kevin Herget to Triple-A Gwinnett. Right-hander Daysbel Hernandez was reinstated from the injured list and left-hander Austin Cox was recalled from Gwinnett.

Profar, 32, was suspended without pay on March 31 for violating the MLB Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. He tested positive for the PED chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), according to the commissioner's office.

After last year's breakout All-Star season with the San Diego Padres, Profar signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Braves in January.

Profar played in four games before the suspension, batting .200 (3-for-15) with two runs scored.

He set career highs across the board in 2024 with a .280 average, 24 homers, 94 runs and 85 RBIs in 158 games for the Padres.

The Curacao native has a .245 career average with 111 homers and 444 RBIs in 1,123 games with the Texas Rangers (2012-13, 2016-18), Athletics (2019), Padres (2020-22, 2023-24), Colorado Rockies (2023) and Braves.

Verdugo is batting .239 with zero home runs and 12 RBIs in 56 games in his first season with the Braves. He signed a one-year deal for $1.5 million in March.

Verdugo, 29, is a career .270 hitter with 70 homers and 328 RBIs in 856 games with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2017-19), Boston Red Sox (2020-23), New York Yankees (2024) and Braves.

Schwellenbach struck out 12 in seven innings against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night and reported elbow soreness the following day. An X-ray displayed a small fracture.

The 25-year-old will not throw for at least four weeks. The Braves hope he will return in September.

Schwellenbach is 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA in 17 starts this season. He has struck out 108 and walked just 18 in 110 2/3 innings.

--Field Level Media