Lead
Major League Baseball has suspended Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar for 162 games after a positive test for exogenous testosterone, a performance-enhancing substance. The ban takes effect on Friday and will remove him for the entire 2026 season, including the playoffs. This is Profar’s second career PED suspension; he missed 80 games last year after testing positive for chorionic gonadotropin. The Players Association says it will file a grievance, and MLB has indicated the process will be expedited.
Key Takeaways
- Jurickson Profar received a 162-game suspension for exogenous testosterone; the ban begins this Friday and covers the full 2026 season and postseason.
- This is Profar’s second PED violation; he served an 80-game suspension last year after testing positive for chorionic gonadotropin.
- Profar, 33, is owed a $15 million salary for 2026 on the second year of a three-year, $42 million deal; he will not be paid while suspended.
- The Players Association plans to file a grievance; MLB is not staying the penalty because it is a second offense, and the league plans an expedited resolution.
- Profar is barred from representing the Netherlands at the upcoming World Baseball Classic while suspended.
- If Profar records a third positive test in his career, MLB rules call for a lifetime ban.
- The Braves will place Profar on the restricted list, removing him from the 40-man roster and saving roughly $18 million in salary plus luxury-tax relief.
- Atlanta’s roster and rotation context — injuries and unsigned veterans — could shape whether the club uses the financial breathing room for a late acquisition.
Background
MLB’s Drug Prevention and Treatment Program outlines escalating penalties for positive tests for performance-enhancing substances. First-time offenses carry shorter suspensions; repeat positives bring significantly larger bans and reduced appeal protections. Historically, appeals of PED suspensions are rarely overturned, and repeat offenders often face swifter discipline under the collective bargaining framework.
Profar’s career has been a mix of early promise and recurring setbacks. Once ranked the top overall prospect, the Curaçao native was a switch-hitting shortstop noted for power, speed and defensive tools before multiple shoulder surgeries disrupted his development. He missed nearly all of both the 2014 and 2015 seasons after shoulder operations and transitioned off shortstop as a result.
After prolonged injury recovery and position changes, Profar’s performance fluctuated across stops in Oakland, San Diego and Colorado. He signed a three-year, $42 million contract with Atlanta and was entering its second season when this suspension was announced. His age (33) and contract status—signed through 2027 with a $15 million salary due in the final year—frame the financial and roster implications for the Braves.
Main Event
MLB determined Profar’s test showed exogenous testosterone and imposed a 162-game suspension that begins this Friday. Because this is Profar’s second PED violation, the league is not allowing the suspension to be stayed pending appeal, a departure from the common practice of permitting players to continue competing while grievances proceed.
The Major League Baseball Players Association has notified the club and league that it will file a grievance on Profar’s behalf, according to reporting. MLB has said the adjudication will be accelerated to reach a final resolution more quickly than standard timelines allow. Outside observers note that second-offense cases typically receive less deference on provisional stays.
Financially, the suspension will cost Profar his $15 million 2026 salary. The Braves stated that their players are regularly educated about the Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and its consequences; the club also confirmed the player’s violation in a team release. Concurrently, Profar is ineligible to participate for the Netherlands at the upcoming World Baseball Classic while under suspension.
Operationally, the Braves will move Profar to the restricted list, which removes his salary from payroll and frees a 40-man roster spot. Atlanta also stands to avoid the 20% luxury-tax surcharge the club was paying on his contract, a combination that MLBTR calculates as roughly $18 million in immediate savings for the franchise this offseason.
Analysis & Implications
For Profar personally, a 162-game suspension at age 33 erases the 2026 season from his playing career and complicates any plan to rebuild value before free-agent windows reopen. He already lost roughly $6 million during last year’s 80-game ban and now faces another full-season absence; a third positive test would trigger a lifetime ban under the program.
From Atlanta’s perspective, the salary relief gives the front office flexibility. With the Braves projected just north of a $244 million luxury threshold, removing Profar’s $15 million plus the 20% tax exposure represents an immediate pool of payroll breathing room. That could be deployed for a late offseason add — a starting pitcher or a veteran right-handed bat — or conserved for in-season trade or waiver-market moves.
Competitive considerations are mixed. Offensively, the outfield depth is weakened by Profar’s absence, but the Braves signed Mike Yastrzemski in November and still have Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuña Jr. available for most days. Acuña’s own injury history and Yastrzemski’s platoon limitations temper confidence, however, and the club’s right-handed bench options historically struggle versus left-handed pitching.
Leaguewide, the case underscores MLB’s posture toward repeat PED violators. By not staying this suspension pending appeal, MLB signals an intent to apply heightened, swift consequences for second-time offenses. That approach may shorten appeals timelines and reduce the period where a suspended player remains active while contesting penalties.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Statistic / Detail |
|---|---|
| Current suspension | 162 games (exogenous testosterone) |
| Prior suspension | 80 games (chorionic gonadotropin) |
| 2026 salary affected | $15,000,000 |
| Contract | Three-year, $42,000,000 (signed through 2027) |
| 2025 performance (post-return) | .248/.358/.446 in 355 plate appearances |
The table summarizes the immediate, confirmed figures tied to Profar’s suspension and recent performance. The financial and playing-time consequences are concrete: lost salary this year, roster removal, and ineligibility for international competition.
Reactions & Quotes
“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.”
Atlanta Braves (team statement)
The Braves’ brief release reiterated the club’s education efforts around the drug program and emphasized the consequences for violations. The club did not provide further comment on roster or payroll strategy beyond confirming the positive test.
“The Players Association plans to file a grievance challenging the suspension.”
Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic (report)
Rosenthal’s reporting outlined the union’s intention to contest the penalty and noted the expedited process. Outside legal analysts say overturning a second-offense suspension is an uphill climb, given precedent and the program’s stricter treatment of repeat violations.
Unconfirmed
- Whether the Players Association’s grievance will result in any reduction or overturning of the 162-game suspension is currently unresolved; historically, second-offense reversals are rare.
- It is not yet decided whether the Braves will seek to trade Profar, retain him after the suspension, or use the salary space to make immediate roster additions.
- The exact final timeline for the expedited appeal process and any potential public hearings has not been released by MLB.
Bottom Line
Jurickson Profar’s 162-game suspension removes a veteran outfielder from the 2026 season and imposes substantial financial and reputational consequences. For Profar, the ban compounds a career already disrupted by injury and a prior PED suspension, and it significantly narrows near-term opportunities to restore value on the field.
For the Atlanta Braves, the ruling creates immediate payroll flexibility and roster consequences. The club will save roughly $18 million in combined salary and luxury-tax avoidance, which could be deployed to address rotation depth or lineup balance as the offseason progresses. The union grievance and any expedited adjudication will determine whether that outcome stands, but the league’s treatment of repeat offenders suggests the suspension is likely to be upheld.
Sources
- MLB Trade Rumors (sports news/aggregator) — original report summarizing suspension, contract and roster impact.
- The Athletic (news outlet) — reporting attributed to Ken Rosenthal regarding the Players Association grievance and appeal process.
- ESPN (sports news) — early reporting on the suspension by Jeff Passan and broader league context.
- Atlanta Braves (official team site/official statement) — team press release acknowledging the positive test and violation.