Braves DH Jurickson Profar suspended for 162 games after failing second PED test
Atlanta Braves outfielder and designated hitter Jurickson Profar failed a PED test for the second straight season and was suspended for 162 games, MLB announced Tuesday. He was also scheduled to be part of the Netherlands team in the World Baseball Classic and is now ineligible for the event.
Profar tested positive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites, according to the league. His suspension officially begins on March 6.
“We were incredibly disappointed to learn that Jurickson tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance and is in violation of MLB’s drug prevention and treatment program,” the Braves said in a statement Tuesday evening. “Our players are constantly informed of the program and the consequences if they violate it. The Atlanta Braves fully support the program.
The 2024 All-Star was also suspended last season for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Agreement. This time around, he will miss the entire 2026 season. The first offense results in an 80-game suspension, the second is 162 games, and the third is a permanent ban.
Keep in mind that suspended players are not eligible for the playoffs, so even if the Braves make the playoffs, Profar will be out until 2027.
Profar, 33, had a career year in 2024 for the Padres. He hit .280/.380/.459 (134 OPS+) with 3.6 WAR and made his first All-Star team. He parlayed that into a three-year, $42 million deal with the Braves, but the PED suspensions are without pay and he missed virtually half of last season and won’t get anything in 2026.
In his 80 games last year, Profar hit .245/.353/.434 (121 OPS+) with 16 doubles, 14 homers, 43 RBIs and 56 runs, which looks to be an important part of the Braves’ 2026 roster.
In fact, he was expected to clean house while he was a defenseman for Atlanta. The loss of Profar leaves the Braves struggling. Until catcher Sean Murphy and infielder Ha-Seong Kim return from surgery, the best DH option on the big league roster looks like Eli White. Maybe an unrostered camp invite like Dom Smith makes his mark. The available free agent pool is thinned to the point where the possible options are Rowdy Tellez, Justin Turner, Wilmer Flores, Tommy Pham and Jesse Winker. Andrew McCutchen is also there if he wants to get away from Pittsburgh.
The Braves could also wait until there are cuts in spring training or they might explore a trade (people continue to wish Byron Buxton would return to Georgia, where he was born and raised, even though he has long said he is a lifelong twin).
The Braves entered March as favorites to win the NL East, according to some projections. FanGraphs had them winning the division by a game, Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA also had them winning by about a game. They were +190 to win the NL East on DraftKings, even with the Phillies and behind the +165 Mets, entering Tuesday.
