Good news for the Atlanta Braves! Their outfielder made his way into the lineup on Thursday after he missed some games due to an injury in his left hand. While his return is undoubtedly a major boost for the team, his recent comments have left fans both surprised and frustrated. But why is it so?

Jurickson Profar signed with the Atlanta Braves for a three-year, $42 million contract. Profar has achieved the All-Star award and even the Silver Slugger award. He had a .280 batting average, along with a .380 on-base percentage and a .459 slugging percentage, posting 24 home runs and 85 RBIs as well. Despite a mediocre 2025 spring training, his return bolsters the Braves’ lineup with Opening Day approaching. So why are fans upset?

Well, during an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast on March 21, Profar made a bold statement about his former team, the San Diego Padres. When asked about how the Padres used to be a fun team to watch—and how they were just one step away from winning it all—Profar didn’t hold back. “For sure, you know, and they came back those last two games, and they were really good, and I think that helped them too with the rest of the series that they played; you know, it was a really good battle between us and them,” he said, implying that the Padres would have won the World Series if they had gotten past the Dodgers.

And that’s what angered the fans, as they lambasted him for saying such things. The Los Angeles Dodgers were a dominant force in 2024 as they won the World Series championship; however, they faced a significant challenge when playing against the San Diego Padres in the NLDS clash. During that game, the Dodgers almost got knocked out. And that’s the reason former Padres star Jurickson Profar made such a bold statement about winning the World Series title, had they managed to beat the Dodgers. Do you think he has a point? Well, fans aren’t convinced.

Fans roast Jurickson Profar’s take on the Padres’ World Series chances

While Profar hyped up the Padres’ missed shot at a World Series title, not everyone was buying it. “What an embarrassing take, and clown Padre fans eat it up,” one person scoffed.

Clearly, that comment struck a nerve—especially with Dodgers supporters. Sure, the NLDS was a battle. LA took Game 1, San Diego answered with back-to-back wins, and suddenly, the Dodgers were staring down elimination in Game 4.

Echoing a similar statement, another fan wrote, “Pretty much every team in the playoffs thought that, bro.” Fair point. While according to the fan’s reaction, every team may have the same thought after reaching the playoffs, it cannot be ignored that it was the strong efforts of the Dodgers’ relievers that prevented the Padres’ strong offense. Due to this, the Dodgers managed to advance to the next stage and somehow came back from the verge of elimination scenario.

One question, though, hit a different angle. “Then why would he leave?”If Profar truly believed the Padres were that close, why pack his bags for Atlanta? San Diego’s quiet offseason may have played a role, as the front office didn’t exactly fight to keep him. A three-year deal with the Braves, on the other hand, was too good to pass up.

Then came a throwback take from someone who brought up an old what-if:

“Dodgers would have “for sure” won if the Padres hadn’t beaten them in the NLDS in 2022,” a user on X was quoted saying. As per the statement, we need to recall the incident from 2022, where the much-anticipated faceoff between the Dodgers and Padres happened during the NLDS. The San Diego Padres managed to win against them 3-1, one time at the Dodgers Stadium and another time at Petco.

And then, a surprising twist—one Dodgers fan actually agreed with Profar: “I am a Dodger fan, and he’s right. The two best teams were the Dodgers and Padres. The Padres would have beaten the Mets and the Yankees.” Bold claim. According to this take, San Diego had the firepower to roll through New York’s finest, but LA was the roadblock they couldn’t overcome.

Now, do you think that Profar’s statement was right?