Braves ‘Incredibly Disappointed’ Over Jurickson Profar’s Second PED Suspension

Profar has received a 162-game suspension after testing positive for PEDs a second time in his career.

Profar appeared in four spring training games for the Braves and was set to play for Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Just hours after it was reported that outfielder Jurickson Profar was facing a 162-game suspension following a second positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, the Braves addressed the news in a statement on Tuesday.

“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 club said in the statement. “Our players are consistently educated about the Program and the consequences if they are found to be in violation. The Atlanta Braves fully support the Program.”

Profar was set to play in the World Baseball Classic with Team Netherlands, with whom he was scratched from the lineup in Tuesday's exhibition game against the Orioles.

Profar, after landing with the Braves in free agency in January of 2025, was suspended for 80 games following a positive PED test. He appeared in four contests for Atlanta before serving his suspension through June and was activated on July 2. In 80 games, Profar posted a .245/.353/.434 slash line with 14 homers, 43 RBI and 56 runs scored.

A Willemstad, Curacao native, Profar made his MLB debut in 2012 at the age of 19 with the Texas Rangers, where he spent the first five years of his career. He spent a year with the A's in 2019, three seasons in San Diego and most of the 2023 campaign with the Rockies, then another season-and-a-half with the Padres.

What did Profar test positive for?

Profar tested positive for Exogenous Testosterone, a substance that replaces the body's natural testosterone production and can negatively affect male infertility. When Profar was last suspended in March of 2025, he had tested positive for Chorionic Gonadotropin, a fertility drug commonly taken after using steroids.

Jurickson Profar contract: Will the Braves outfielder be paid during his suspension?

Profar signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Braves last January on the heels of his first All-Star campaign with the Padres, a season that saw him post career highs in batting average, OBP, home runs, RBI and runs scored. He was due to be paid $15 million in '26, but will serve the 162-game suspension without pay.

What does Profar's suspension mean for the Braves roster?

Profar was expected to spend the majority of his time in left field and at designated hitter for the Braves. In light of Profar's suspension, Eli White and Mike Yastrzemski will likely platoon in left while Dominic Smith, who in February signed a minor league deal with the club, could open the season as the DH. Once injured catcher Sean Murphy returns around mid-May, fellow backstop Drake Baldwin could see more starts at DH when he's not behind the plate.

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