Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar will miss the entire 2026 season after losing an appeal regarding a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. The league confirmed that Profar tested positive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites, triggering a mandatory 162-game suspension. This marks the second time the 33-year-old veteran has violated the league’s drug policy, leading to his disqualification from both the regular season and postseason play next year. He is now among a small group of players to receive a full-season ban since the penalty for repeat offenders was increased a decade ago.

The financial consequences of the ruling are significant as Profar is set to forfeit his entire 15 million dollar salary for the upcoming year. This comes as a blow to both the player and the Braves organization, which signed him to a three-year, 42 million dollar contract earlier this year. Profar was expected to be a cornerstone of the Atlanta lineup, potentially batting second behind Ronald Acuna Jr. and providing versatility between the outfield and the designated hitter spot throughout the long season.

This latest disciplinary action follows a previous 80-game suspension Profar served in early 2025 for a different banned substance. During that initial incident, he claimed he never knowingly took a prohibited drug but accepted the consequences of the positive test. After returning from that ban last July, he posted respectable numbers across his remaining games, hitting 14 home runs and driving in 43 runs while primarily playing in left field for the club.

Manager Walt Weiss now faces the challenge of adjusting the team’s daily roster without one of his most experienced hitters. The Braves had already prepared for potential depth issues by signing Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year deal during the offseason, who is now expected to join Acuna and Michael Harris in the starting outfield. Weiss indicated that the designated hitter position will remain flexible, potentially involving catcher Drake Baldwin or a rotation of other bench players to fill the void left by Profar’s absence.