The Braves’ latest high-priced gamble has backfired spectacularly, igniting a firestorm of controversy and second-guessing. A marquee signing, a massive paycheck, and a scandal fit for the headlines—Atlanta’s front office is once again in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. As critics sharpen their knives, one former executive isn’t holding back on their latest misfire.

After the season he had with the Padres, nobody expected Jurickson Profar to be traded. But the Atlanta Braves came into the scene, and now that offseason move looks like a huge mistake. It might have cost the Braves their whole season. Looking at this, ex-Marlins President David Samson called out the player and the team for their decisions.

During his podcast, David Samson mentioned, “We have a simple rule with our players, “don’t put anything in your body that we don’t give you.” because guess what the rule is, if we give it to you, and you test positive cause of what we have given to you, you are good. Because we are not allowed to give you anything that is not positive.”

So, all Profar had to do was ask the team if he could take the substance. And all that the Braves had to do was make sure that their star trade didn’t mess up the season for them. But with the way things have gone, it looks like both parties didn’t care enough.

While Profar gives out the same old statement of him not knowing it was illegal, Samson calls it out and gives a simple idea for the Braves. The team should take away the $42 million they are paying him. According to him, with a marquee player out because of the problem caused by himself, he should not be paid for it.

But here’s the kicker—MLB rules don’t allow teams to just yank a contract, no matter how costly the blunder. So, while the Braves scramble to fill the void, Profar gets a well-paid vacation. A $42 million lesson in due diligence? Maybe. But for Atlanta, it’s looking more like a masterclass in how not to handle a blockbuster move.

The Braves’ early-season crisis gets worse amid the Profar drama

The Atlanta Braves’ offseason moves are quickly unraveling, and it’s starting to look like a masterclass in mismanagement. What was supposed to be a fresh start has instead turned into a season-defining disaster. Between bad contracts, injuries, and a growing list of regrets, the Braves are now facing a crisis that might just derail their entire year.

If you think the Profar drama is the last thing on the plate for the Atlanta Braves – not it!

Their pitcher Reynaldo Lopez is now sidelined after dealing with some inflammation in his right shoulder, leaving a gap in the bullpen. With pitchers like Joe Jiménez and A.J. Minter also out and with a big series against the Dodgers coming up, it might get ugly.

Besides pitching, the batting department is also not in a shining state. With Profar out, the Braves have added Stuart Fairchild from the Reds. However, the question remains: Can he provide the output they need? There is still no Ronald Acuña Jr. in the lineup. Without a left-handed batter, it is looking bleak for the Braves.

As Atlanta continues to lose key players and fail to fill critical gaps, it’s starting to look like the offseason was more about hope than actual planning. With their rotation and lineup already stretched thin, the Braves might have to rethink their strategy—or risk watching their season spiral into a full-blown disaster. The real question: Can they recover before it’s too late?