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Report: Braves’ Jurickson Profar faces 162-game suspension for second positive drug test

Atlanta outfielder Jurickson Profar faces a 162-game suspension by Major League Baseball for a possible second failed test for a performance-enhancing drug, according to multiple reports.

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Jurickson Profar

ATL Left Fielder #7

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Jurickson Profar has received a 162-game suspension from Major League Baseball after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

According to a league statement, Profar tested positive for exogenous testosterone, a performance-enhancing substance. The full-season suspension will cost him the entire 2026 campaign, including the postseason. It’s the second consecutive year that he’s received a PED-related suspension since his age-31 breakthrough campaign with the Padres back in 2024. His absence momentarily frees up the DH spot in Atlanta and the front office could use his $15 million salary to either fortify their starting rotation or beef up their lineup with a veteran slugger in free agency or trade acquisition.
Jurickson Profar

ATL Left Fielder #7

The MLBPA will file a grievance in response to the league’s plan to suspend Jurickson Profar for 162 games.

No word yet on what the argument against the suspension will be. We don’t even know yet what Profar tested positive for. The Braves will surely want a quick resolution either way. If Profar is suspended for the season, his $15 million salary would be off the books, and the Braves could use that money to potentially sign a starter (Lucas Giolito?) and a replacement DH/outfielder (Tommy Pham? Andrew McCutchen?).
Jurickson Profar

ATL Left Fielder #7

Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Profar will get the full-season ban for testing positive for a PED for the second time. The 33-year-old missed 80 games due to suspension in 2025 and hit .243/.353/.434 with 14 homers in his 318 at-bats. Mike Yastrzemski and Eli White seem likely to platoon with Profar unavailable in 2026, but it’s possible Atlanta could look outside the organization.
Kyle Nelson

ATL Relief Pitcher #24

Braves signed LHP Kyle Nelson to a minor league contract.

Nelson hit free agency at the conclusion of last season after being removed from Arizona’s 40-man roster. The 29-year-old southpaw bolsters Atlanta’s organizational relief depth after posting a serviceable 4.34 ERA – 4.26 xERA – 1.31 WHIP and 115/45 K/BB ratio across 116 innings over 136 appearances in the majors since 2020.
Bryce Elder

ATL Pitcher #55

Bryce Elder hurled three shutout innings Monday in the Braves’ 5-2 defeat of the Tigers.

Elder has opened up with five scoreless innings as he tries to secure the fifth spot in Atlanta’s rotation. He gave up six hard-hit balls today, but he was able to limit the Tigers to three singles, and he walked no one.
Joey Wentz

ATL Pitcher #33

Joey Wentz kept the Tigers hitless for three innings and was credited with a win in relief on Monday.

He struck out three and walked two against his former team. Wentz wound up with a 4.92 ERA in 13 starts and one relief appearance for Atlanta last season, but his peripherals were somewhat better than that. He’s pretty likely to have a spot in middle relief if he fails to crack the team’s rotation.
Grant Holmes

ATL Starting Pitcher #66

Grant Holmes threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings against the Twins on Sunday.

Holmes, returning from a partially torn UCL and a flexor strain, averaged 93.3 mph with his fastball today, down a reasonable 1.2 mph from his 2025 average. He gave up four hard-hit balls today, but all were caught in the outfield. The lone hit he allowed came on an 85-mph fly from Luke Keaschall, the softest contact Holmes gave up on the day.
Austin Riley

ATL Infield #27

Austin Riley hit his second homer of the spring Sunday as a Braves split-squad topped the Rays 5-3.

Riley’s 428-foot homer left the bat at 106 mph, and he also had a 107-mph lineout to left. Not typically a big spring performer, Riley has already matched his 2025 total of two Grapefruit League homers. His high is four from 2020.
Reynaldo López

ATL Pitcher #40

Reynaldo López pitched three scoreless frames with three strikeouts Sunday against the Rays.

Statcast had López’s fastball down 3.6 mph from last year in today’s outing, which is comparable to where his velocity was before Statcast went out partway through his spring debut last week. López’s breaking balls aren’t down quite so much, but it’s not looking great, with his curveball spin rate today down about eight percent from last year. López is building up after last year’s shoulder surgery, and it’s still really early. However, he’s probably going to need to get back into the mid-90s to be a quality MLB starter. He averaged 92.0 mph today.
Hunter Stratton

ATL Pitcher #65

Braves optioned RHP Hunter Stratton and INF Nacho Alvarez Jr. to Triple-A Gwinnett; Reassigned RHP Javy Guerra and C Chadwick Tromp to minor league camp.

Stratton was always facing an uphill battle at earning a spot in the Braves’ Opening Day bullpen and surrendering six earned runs over 1 1/3 innings during Grapefruit League play sealed the deal for him. Alvarez will open as an everyday player at Triple-A Gwinnett and will most certainly see time with the Braves at some point in 2026. The Braves now have 62 players remaining on the major league side of camp.

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