Braves' Jurickson Profar Receives 162-Game MLB Suspension for 2nd PED Violation

The Atlanta Braves will be without designated hitter Jurickson Profar for the entirety of the 2026 season.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Profar will be suspended for 162 games after testing postivie for exogenous testosterone.

The Braves also released a statement:

Passan first reported Tuesday that Profar was facing the lengthy suspension that will also make him ineligible for the postseason and cost him his entire $15 million in salary.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal confirmed the news and reported the MLB Players Association plans to challenge the impending ban.

Major League Baseball increased the penalty for a second PED offense to a full-season suspension in 2014, and Profar is just the sixth player to receive such a punishment.

The 33-year-old was an All-Star and Silver Slugger winner during the 2024 campaign with the San Diego Padres when he slashed .280/.380/.459 with 24 home runs, 85 RBI and 10 stolen bases for a team that reached the playoffs.

Atlanta responded by giving him a three-year, $42 million contract ahead of the 2025 campaign.

It's safe to say that contract has not gone according to plan for either side.

Profar was suspended in 2025 after just four games with his new team when he tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin, which Passan noted is "a hormone typically made during pregnancy that can encourage testosterone production."

He released a statement at the time that said "it is because of my deep love and respect for this game that I would never knowingly do anything to cheat it." The Braves also released a statement saying they were "surprised and extremely disappointed" but "fully support the program and are hopeful Jurickson will learn from this experience."

Profar also underwent sports hernia surgery in the offseason, which Passan reported was expected to shift him from left field to DH for 2026.

However, that will no longer be the case following yet another suspension.

Profar was solid for the Braves in the 80 games he did play in 2025 and slashed .245/.353/.434 with 14 home runs and 43 RBI. He wasn't as productive as he was in his final season with the Padres, but it wasn't a stretch to assume he would be a key part of the lineup with a full season in 2026.

In addition to missing the upcoming campaign with the Braves, he will not participate in the World Baseball Classic because of this suspension. Profar was expected to represent the Netherlands, which has a team that features players from his native Curacao.