Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar will miss the whole 2026 season after his appeal of a constructive take a look at for performance-enhancing medication was resolved.
Profar will serve a 162-game suspension for testing constructive a second time and will likely be ineligible for postseason play in 2026.
Major League Baseball introduced earlier this month that Profar examined constructive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites. He is the sixth participant to obtain a 162-game ban for PED use since MLB elevated the penalty for two-time offenders to a full season in 2014.
Profar, 33, will forfeit everything of his $15 million wage for 2026. He was anticipated to rotate usually in Atlanta’s beginning lineup between the outfield and designated hitter, maybe because the No. 2 hitter behind Ronald Acuña Jr.
Atlanta signed Profar to a three-year, $42 million contract in January 2025 after he had a profession 12 months with the San Diego Padres.
An All-Star in 2024, Profar was suspended for 80 video games final March 31 following a constructive take a look at for chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that helps manufacturing of testosterone. He issued a press release then saying: “I would never willingly take a banned substance, but I take full responsibility and accept MLB’s decision.”
Profar’s 2025 suspension got here following the fourth sport of the season and after returning in early July, he hit .245/.353/.434 with 14 dwelling runs and 43 RBIs whereas enjoying left discipline.
Braves first-year supervisor Walt Weiss stated earlier this month that he expects Atlanta’s DH spot to be “fairly fluid” this season with out Profar.
Weiss stated he feels “really good” that the Braves signed left fielder Mike Yastrzemski to a $23 million, two-year deal within the offseason. Yastrzemski, Acuña and Michael Harris are anticipated to be Atlanta’s beginning outfielders. Profar may need shared time with Yastrzemski in left discipline on days star catcher Drake Baldwin is the DH.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
