Atlanta Braves outfielder has received a full-season suspension from Major League Baseball for the 2026 campaign after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time.
The decision, announced Tuesday, means the All-Star will miss the entire season.
According to the commissioner’s office, the outfielder latest violation involved a positive test for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites—substances not naturally produced by the body. Because it is his second offense, league rules mandate a 162-game suspension, covering the full regular season. The players’ association has filed a grievance on his behalf, beginning an appeal process before baseball’s independent arbitrator, Martin F. Scheinman.
The new penalty comes after Profar served an 80-game suspension on March 31 last year when he tested positive for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG), a hormone that can stimulate testosterone production.
At the time, Profar said in a statement that he would never intentionally use a banned substance but accepted responsibility and MLB’s ruling. His agent, Dan Lozano, has not yet commented on the latest development.
As a result of the suspension, Profar will forfeit his $15 million salary for this season under a three-year, $42 million deal that runs through 2027. He had already lost half of his $12 million salary in 2025 because of the earlier ban.
The suspension also makes him ineligible to participate in the postseason and the World Baseball Classic, where the Curaçao-born player had been expected to represent the Netherlands.
In a statement, the Atlanta Braves said they were “incredibly disappointed” by the failed drug test. The team added that players are regularly educated about MLB’s Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and the consequences of violating it, and reaffirmed their support for the policy.
Profar, who was named an All-Star in 2024, returned strongly after his previous suspension, including hitting a home run on July 2. He finished the 2025 season batting .245 with 14 home runs, 43 RBIs, and a .787 OPS across 80 games. The year before, he recorded career-best numbers with a .280 average, 24 homers, 85 RBIs, and an .839 OPS.
He underwent sports hernia surgery in November and was expected to be sidelined for about six weeks. Before the suspension was announced, he had already appeared in four spring training games this year, going 3-for-10 with three RBIs.
Profar becomes the seventh player to receive a 162-game suspension for a second PED violation. Others include New York Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia and Cleveland outfielder Marlon Byrd. Mejia was later given a lifetime ban in 2016 after a third positive test, the only player to receive such a punishment since drug testing with penalties began in 2004.
The Braves now face a significant gap in their lineup, as Profar had been expected to serve as the team’s primary designated hitter after the offseason acquisition of left fielder Mike Yastrzemski.
Possible alternatives for the DH role include 2025 NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin—once catcher Sean Murphy returns from injury—or Eli White.
Atlanta is also dealing with other roster issues, including an injury to projected starting shortstop Ha-seong Kim, with Mauricio Dubón likely to step in. Profar’s absence could also create an opportunity for Dominic Smith, who recently signed a minor league contract with the team.
