The Atlanta Braves will be without designated hitter Jurickson Profar for the entire 2026 season. Major League Baseball announced on Tuesday that the 33-year-old has been suspended for 162 games after testing positive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites. This suspension, effective immediately, marks Profar's second offense under MLB's Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
The Braves organization expressed strong disappointment in a public statement, fully supporting the league's program and its consequences. Profar's first offense occurred last year, resulting in an 80-game suspension for a banned hormone. This latest violation carries a significantly harsher penalty, as MLB increased the sanction for two-time PED offenders to a full season in 2014.
As a result of the suspension, Profar will forfeit his $15 million salary for the 2026 season. He will also be ineligible for the postseason if the Braves qualify and for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, where he was set to represent the Netherlands. Profar is only the seventh player to receive the full 162-game ban for PED use since the stricter penalty was instituted.
This setback adds to early challenges for the Braves, who are already dealing with pitching injuries before the 2026 regular season begins. Profar, an All-Star and Silver Slugger winner in 2024, had signed a three-year, $42 million contract with Atlanta prior to this suspension.