Braves lose out on easy Jurickson Profar replacement despite reasonable asking price

When the news broke that Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar had been suspended yet again, fans began to wonder who the team could add on short notice to help replace the offense Profar was supposed to supply.

One obvious name was Pirates legend Andrew McCutchen, who was not only still a free agent, but very vocal about his desire to play in the 2026 season. Despite the fit, however, the Braves whiffed on McCutchen despite the 37-year-old signing at a very affordable price.

Andrew McCutchen signs minor league deal with Rangers as Braves' options get even more sparse

Although McCutchen's 95 OPS+ didn't exactly set the world on fire last season, he had a 113 OPS+ against lefties. While the Braves offense still looks solid against right-handed pitching, their lineup against lefties took a huge hit when Profar, a switch-hitter, was suspended for the year.

However, the Braves appeared to not be all that interested in the 39-year-old, as he signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers, something the Braves could have easily matched if they really wanted to.

With McCutchen off the market, there are now very few right-handed bats available. Wilmer Flores, Justin Turner, and Tommy Pham are the most notable right-handed position players and none of them graded out above-average according to OPS+ last season. Additionally, none of them even had an above-average OPS+ against lefties. Flores, the youngest of the trio, might make the most sense because of his age, but the 34-year-old is holding out for a big league guaranteed deal, which the Braves might not be willing to do.

Thanks to Mike Yastrzemski's signing this offseason, the Braves still have a potent offensive option against righties, but with Profar out and the DH spot vacant, Atlanta will have to give the longtime Giants outfielder at bats against lefties unless they find a righty bat.

With McCutchen off the market, that task becomes much more difficult.