Jurickson Profar suspension: Atlanta Braves hitter faces 162-game MLB ban for second PED violation

Jurickson Profar, the Atlanta Braves' designated hitter, is set to miss the entire 2026 MLB season after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug (PED) for the second time in just over a year, according to sources cited by ESPN.

The 33-year-old Curacao native becomes the sixth player to receive a full-season ban since MLB stiffened penalties for repeat offenders in 2014. This latest violation follows an 80-game suspension handed down on March 31, 2025, for testing positive for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that can boost testosterone production.

Profar will forfeit his full $15 million salary for 2026 and miss any postseason action if the Braves qualify. He is also ineligible for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, where he planned to represent the Netherlands alongside fellow Curacao players.

(More to follow)