When the Atlanta Braves pulled the trigger and brought up Alex Verdugo, who struggled so much last season he couldn't land a contract until mid-March, it felt like a last resort for an offense that couldn't buy a hit. Verdugo's signing went without much fanfare, and his performance in Gwinnett was not necessarily exciting.
However, two games into his tenure with the Braves, he might be the jumpstart at the top of the lineup the Braves have been missing. Because of one bizarre and frankly overlooked reason, it might have been very predictable.
How an allergy to batting gloves hampered Alex Verdugo's past performance
Last season, a report came out that Alex Verdugo discovered a rare allergy to two chemicals, chromate and cobalt, but are commonly found in batting gloves. The left fielder mentioned he had suffered this issue for years, which might have explained his offense that had been on the decline since 2020.
His lone season with the Yankees was pretty rough, as he slashed .233/.291/.356 (83 wRC+) and was only worth 0.6 fWAR in 149 games. This was likely a driving factor in him not getting a guaranteed contract until he signed with the Braves. Even then, that deal seemed like a head scratcher until Jurickson Profar got slapped with an 80-game suspension.
Verdugo hitting .233 might have been a miracle, however. The allergic reactions caused blistering and rashes on his hand, making the bat difficult to hold. When the news came out last season, he said he was still looking for a solution around the issue, but eventually found hypoallergenic gloves.
After getting his new batting gloves, Verdugo slashed .267/.305/.378, for a slightly better 95 wRC+, but wasn't impressive in the playoffs, finishing with a .208/.309/.313 slashline during the playoffs.
While Verdugo's .207/.303/.448 slashline in Gwinnett won't cause Braves fans to expect a lot from the 28-year-old, his nine games were essentially his spring training. This will be the first full season where Verdugo will have batting gloves that aren't eating away at his hands.
It might be a bit bullish to expect the former top prospect to hit like a superstar, but if the hypoallergenic batting gloves do their job, the new leadoff hitter might just deliver the spark the Braves need at the top of the lineup.