Atlanta’s Season Prospects Are Complicated by Braves Outfielder Jurickson Profar’s 80-Game Suspension for Peddling

Braves Outfielder Jurickson Profar Suspended 80 Games for PED Violation

Major League Baseball (MLB) has suspended Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar for 80 games after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug (PED), specifically a fertility drug. Profar will not be able to play in the postseason this year due to this suspension, which takes effect just four games into the 2025 season and will keep him off the field until early July.

The San Diego Padres gave Profar, a 12-year MLB veteran from Curacao, a breakthrough season in 2024. His batting line of.280/.380/.459 was the best of his career, and he hit 24 home runs. This performance led to significant interest from several teams during the offseason, culminating in his signing with the Braves on a three-year, $42 million contract in January READ MORE

Impact on the Braves

The Braves had made Profar their most prominent offseason addition, so the suspension is a major blow. Due to budgetary constraints, the team had to make a number of cost-cutting adjustments in order to remain below the competitive balance tax threshold. The Braves will have to make do with their outfield lineup, which consists of Eli White, Bryan De La Cruz, Michael Harris II, and Jarred Kelenic, in Profar’s absence. To increase their depth, the team also claimed outfielder Stuart Fairchild from the Cincinnati Reds off waivers.