Bold headline: A second PED suspension could derail a high-profile season for Jurickson Profar—and the stakes get higher with every update. And this is the part most people miss: the process behind MLB’s discipline is as intricate as the players’ performances on the field.
Atlanta right fielder Jurickson Profar is facing a potential 162-game suspension from Major League Baseball after a possible second positive test for a performance-enhancing drug. The information, provided to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the situation, indicates that the process is ongoing and that the disclosure came ahead of any formal announcement. An additional source, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that Profar plans to have the players’ association file a grievance to appeal any discipline to MLB’s independent arbitrator, Martin F. Scheinman, should a penalty be levied.
If sustained, this would mark Profar’s second infraction, meaning any appeal would follow the suspension announcement rather than precede it. Profar, who was an All-Star in 2024, previously served an 80-game suspension starting March 31 of last year for testing positive for Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone linked to testosterone production. He issued a statement at the time emphasizing he never willingly took a banned substance and accepted MLB’s decision. His agent, Dan Lozano, did not respond to comment requests in time for publication.
On the field, Profar returned with a home run on July 2 after serving the prior suspension and finished the 80-game stint with a .245 batting average, 14 homers, 43 RBIs, and a .787 OPS. In the 2024 season, he posted a .280 average with career highs of 24 homers, 85 RBIs, and an .839 OPS.
During spring training this year, Profar disclosed that he had undergone sports hernia surgery in November, requiring roughly six weeks of recovery. He has appeared in four spring games, collecting 3 hits in 10 at-bats with three RBIs so far. A Curaçao native, Profar had been slated to play for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic before the suspension news emerged.
If the suspension stands, Profar would be ineligible for postseason play and would forfeit a significant portion of his $15 million salary for 2026 as part of a $42 million, three-year contract through 2027. Notably, he already absorbed a loss of half his $12 million 2025 salary under the earlier suspension.
Historically, a second PED infraction resulting in a 162-game ban has affected several players, including Jenrry Mejía of the New York Mets (2015), Marlon Byrd (Cleveland, 2016), Cody Stanley, Francis Martes, Robinson Canó, and J.C. Mejia. Mejía remains the only player to receive a lifetime ban, a consequence tied to a third positive test under MLB’s drug-testing framework that began in 2004.
For context, four players had already faced suspensions this year under the drug program, such as free-agent outfielder Max Kepler, who received an 80-game penalty after testing positive for Epitrenbolone. Meanwhile, the Braves had recently signed left fielder Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year, $23 million deal, positioning Profar as a primary designated hitter option when healthy. If he’s unavailable, plans include potential shifts: Drake Baldwin, the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year, may spell DH duties when not catching, with Yastrzemski, Michael Harris, and Ronald Acuña Jr. occupying the outfield. Mauricio Dubón is expected to open the season as the starting shortstop, and Eli White could serve as a DH option in certain alignments.
The Braves also face a potential adjustment in their infield depth with Ha-seong Kim sidelined by a finger injury. If Profar cannot contribute this season, the organization could look to Dominic Smith, who signed a minor league deal on February 17, to fill the void.
AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed to the coverage.
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