Braves' Profar Faces 2026 Full-Season PED Suspension

Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar faces a full-season suspension for the 2026 Major League Baseball campaign after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time in less than a year, according to league sources.

The 33-year-old, who signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Braves in January 2025, would miss all 162 regular-season games if the penalty is upheld, along with any postseason play. He also stands to forfeit his $15 million salary for the upcoming season and is ineligible for this month's World Baseball Classic, where he was selected to represent the Netherlands. This marks the sixth instance of a full-season ban for a repeat PED offender since Major League Baseball strengthened penalties for second-time violators in 2014.

Profar's first violation occurred in March 2025, shortly after the Braves' season opener, resulting in an 80-game suspension that sidelined him from late March until early July. He tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that can elevate testosterone levels. Upon returning, Profar appeared in 80 games, batting .245 with 14 home runs, 43 runs batted in, and a .121...