What has become clear this offseason is that the Atlanta Braves have a renewed focus on roster flexibility. Obviously trading for Mauricio Dubon is the clearest example, but the Braves also went out and added Aaron Schunk as an insurance policy while saying openly that they don't want to be locked into an everyday DH. That is a breath of fresh air for fans that have come to expect a lack of lineup creativity, but it raises some questions about Jurickson Profar's role on Atlanta's roster.
Overall, Profar's production in his first season as a Braves was "fine" on a rate basis. A .787 OPS isn't all that exciting, but it is passable for a big league regular. However, after his PED suspension and the Braves' professed desire to have more lineup flexibility, having a guy that is basically left field or DH only doesn't exactly fit especially when there legitimate questions as to where his production actually came from.
In fact, this could be the perfect opportunity for the Braves to revisit that fateful decision to add Profar and potentially get out from under his contract a bit.
Braves current position suggests that Jurickson Profar may be on his way out
It did raise some eyebrows when the Braves signed Mike Yastrzemski, but it could make even more sense when viewed through the lens of moving on from Profar. Yastrzemski is certainly a better defender than Profar and with multiple other players in need of DH plate appearances next year, Atlanta could be planning ahead to cover themselves if/when they move on from Profar.
Of course, the trick would then be to try and find a taker for Profar and at least a chunk of the $30 million that he is still owed. His suspension and relative lack of track record as an above average hitter do not help matters, but there are very few decent bats available this offseason and the really good ones are going to get crazy money. The Braves could definitely find a taker for Profar assuming their asking price is remotely reasonable.
However, in doing so, the Braves would be admitting their mistake and they may be reluctant to do so. While the suspension was inexcusable, Atlanta wants offensive depth and if there is any chance Profar could rebound with a strong full season at the plate, he may be worth keeping in their eyes in spite of his lack of versatility. One hopes that the Braves will at least look into the move, because it could be a massive boon on multiple levels.