sportingnews
As the Atlanta Braves gear up for an aggressive offseason, the organization faces a pressing decision regarding Jurickson Profar. The veteran did not cost Atlanta anything last season due to his suspension, and now the team must determine whether to retain him for the final year of his contract.
The former Silver Slugger has not played a single game since testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, which resulted in a 162-game ban. This marks the second such suspension for Profar in the past year, making him the sixth player to receive a full-season penalty since MLB toughened its rules for repeat offenders in 2014.
Profar, 33, will forfeit his entire $15 million salary for the 2025 season, as reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan. The situation is particularly unusual because both violations occurred after what was statistically the best season of his career.
Since the second suspension was announced, Profar has reportedly gone silent. "After Profar got suspended a second time for his PED violation, this dude disappeared off the face of the earth," said Scott Coleman of Hammer Territory. "Changed his cell phone number, nobody heard from him, players hadn't heard from him is what I was told."
While the final call rests with the Braves' front office, team reporter Mark Bowman has indicated that he does not expect Profar to return. "Profar certainly won't be back in the clubhouse after performance-enhancing drug suspensions the last two years," Bowman stated. He added that finding a right-handed-hitting outfielder now tops the team's offseason priority list.
Key Analysis
Bringing back Profar would likely create unwanted distractions for a team aiming for a deep playoff run. His repeated PED violations and subsequent disappearance have made him a risky clubhouse presence. With a $45 million contract still on the books, the Braves seem poised to cut their losses and move forward without him, focusing on adding a reliable right-handed bat to their outfield mix.
Originally reported by sportingnews.