Braves' $42M Jurickson Profar Deal Now All-Time Disaster After PED News

Hardly anyone would have guessed that the Atlanta Braves' three-year deal with outfielder Jurickson Profar could wind up going this far south.

After Profar served an 80-game suspension for a positive performance-enhancing drug test last year, expectations were high that he could rebound to his 2024 All-Star form and help the Braves get back to the playoffs this year. Instead, it looks probable that he'll be out of the picture entirely.

According to a Tuesday report from ESPN's Jeff Passan, Profar received a 162-game suspension after he recently failed another PED test. Assuming he is unable to successfully appeal the suspension, he will be guaranteed to miss at least half of the games on the $42 million contract he signed last winter.

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Profar's contract measured against other "worst deals"

Sep 27, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar (7) speaks to umpire Mark Wegner (14) after a call in the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Yes, the Braves owe Profar no money while he's serving his suspensions. But his absence leaves them with a gaping hole in the outfield for a second-straight season, and that opportunity cost has to outweight any savings.

It's rare to declare a deal the worst of its free-agent class only a year in, but can we now safely say Profar's deal hurt its team more than any other contract signed last winter? Here are some others to keep in mind:

Anthony Santander's five-year, $92.5 million pact with the Toronto Blue Jays already looks like a bad one, as the former All-Star played just 54 games and racked up -1.0 bWAR last year, and is now slated to miss several months this season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Luis Severino's three-year, $67 million deal with the Athletics was the largest in franchise history for a starting pitcher, and he responded by posting a 4.54 ERA in year one. But his solid second half probably saves him with competing with Profar, especially since he should be good to go as the club's opening day starter this year.

There were some other deals that went incredibly poorly in year one, but the players involved are all looking for rebounds this season after dealing with injury setbacks.

Tanner Scott's four-year, $72 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Christian Walker's three-year, $60 million deal with the Houston Astros, and Tyler O'Neill's three-year, $49.5 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles are all on that list.

But can any of these hold a candle to Profar, even if the dollar amounts were higher? At least those players all suffered some sort of misfortune, whereas Profar's damage was completely self-inflicted. The Braves have to feel more snakebitten than any other team that made a signing last winter.