atlanta braves outfielder jerickson proffer He will miss the entire 2026 season after his appeal of testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs is resolved.
Profar will serve a 162-game suspension for testing positive for a second time and will be ineligible for postseason play in 2026.
Major League Baseball announced earlier this month that Profar tested positive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites. He is the sixth player to receive a 162-game ban for PED use since MLB expanded the penalty for two-time offenders to a full season in 2014.
Profar, 33, will forfeit his entire $15 million salary for 2026. He was expected to rotate regularly between the outfield and designated hitter in Atlanta’s starting lineup, perhaps as the No. 2 hitter behind. Ronald Acuna Jr..
Atlanta signed Profar to a three-year, $42 million contract through January 2025, completing his career year. San Diego Padres.
An All-Star in 2024, Profar was suspended for 80 games last March 31 after a positive test for human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone that helps produce testosterone. He then released a statement saying: “I would never willingly take a banned substance, but I take full responsibility and accept MLB’s decision.”
Profar’s 2025 suspension came after the fourth game of the season and after returning in early July, he hit .245/.353/.434 with 14 home runs and 43 RBIs while playing left field.
Braves first-year manager Walt Weiss said earlier this month that he expected Atlanta’s DH spot to be “pretty fluid” this season without Profar.
Weis said he feels “really good” that the Braves have signed the left fielder. mike yastrzemski Signed a two-year, $23 million deal in the offseason. Yastrzemski, Acuna and Michael Harris are expected to be Atlanta’s starting outfielders. Profar might have shared time with Yastrzemski in left field on Star Catcher’s Day drake baldwin DH is.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
