Jurickson Profar, the Atlanta Braves outfielder, has been handed an 80-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s performance-enhancing drug (PED) policy, a significant hit to both his season and the team’s aspirations. Assistant editor Jeff Passan reported the news, amplifying the ramifications of this decision.
Responding to the announcement, Profar described it as “the most difficult day of my baseball career.” The 2024 MLB All-Star had experienced an impressive 2023 season, in which he was reportedly tested multiple times without any positive results, leading up to the offseason where he may have inadvertently consumed a banned substance.
“This is especially painful for me because anyone who knows me and has seen me play knows I am deeply passionate about the game,” Profar expressed. “There is nothing I love more than competing with my teammates and being a fan favorite. I want to apologize to the entire Braves organization, my teammates, and the fans. It is because of my deep love and respect for this game that I would never knowingly do anything to cheat it.”
In a show of support, the Braves released a statement underscoring their commitment to the league’s policies: “We fully support the program and are hopeful that Jurickson will learn from this experience.” This comes as a stark backdrop to Profar’s impressive previous season, during which he achieved a .280 batting average while hitting 24 home runs and driving in 85 runs, exceeding expectations for his one-year contract valued at $1 million.
Wow I wonder when Jurickson Profar could’ve been using PEDs pic.twitter.com/ro4AAOJb93
— Phill (@MeekPhill_) March 31, 2025
Profar’s performance earned him a lucrative three-year contract worth $42 million with Atlanta this offseason, a testament to his rising star status.
Manny Machado on Jurickson Profar’s suspension
“That’s a tough one to swallow, it sucks to hear it. Profar’s always going to be my best friend and I’ll support him no matter what.” @SportingTrib pic.twitter.com/l5anH6HAdp— Marty Caswell (@MartyCaswell) April 1, 2025
Profar was found to have used HcG, the same substance that led Hall of Famer Manny Ramirez to incur a 50-game suspension back in 2009. HcG functions primarily as a masking agent, facilitating the restart of natural testosterone production following steroid usage.
This unexplained meltdown by Jurickson Profar makes a lot more sense now that we learned he got popped for using banned substances. pic.twitter.com/oD8mjUfJN4
— Klein25 (@Klein25) March 31, 2025
It’s noteworthy that Profar’s former teammate, Fernando Tatis Jr., also faced an 80-game suspension due to a PED violation, as he tested positive for Clostebol, sidelining him for a significant portion of the 2022-2023 season.
Tatis Jr & Sr slipping roids in Profar’s shake so his Braves contract gets voided and he comes back to the Padres on a $1m deal halfway through the season post-suspension pic.twitter.com/frfihqdFmI
— John (@Friar_Faithful) March 31, 2025
Profar’s absence from the Braves’ lineup will be significant, particularly as he served as the lead-off header against his old team, the San Diego Padres, in the opening series of the season. Furthermore, the Braves are already dealing with the absence of star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., who is still recovering from an ACL tear and is not anticipated to return for at least another month.
I can’t even look at this Profar card the same anymore pic.twitter.com/mFjE35nnug
— DaddyDimmuTV (@DaddyDimmuTv) March 31, 2025
