Jurickson Profar once looked like one of baseball’s greatest redemption stories.
Now, just two seasons later, that story has taken a dramatic and damaging turn.
Jurickson Profar’s 162-Game Suspension Raises Questions — and Makes Padres’ Decision Look Smarter
Former San Diego Padres All-Star Jurickson Profar is once again at the center of controversy.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the current Atlanta Braves designated hitter has been hit with a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
The punishment effectively wipes out his entire 2026 season.
And for many observers around Major League Baseball, the development is sparking one unavoidable question:
Did the Padres see this coming?
A Second PED Violation
This marks the second consecutive season Profar has tested positive for PEDs.
In 2025 — his first year with the Braves — he served an 80-game suspension for a similar violation.
Now, with a full-season ban in 2026, the consequences are even more severe.
Under MLB rules, Profar will:
• Miss the entire 2026 regular season
• Be ineligible for the postseason
• Lose his $15 million salary for the year
• Be barred from participating in the World Baseball Classic, where he had been expected to represent the Netherlands
For Atlanta, the suspension is a devastating blow to a contract that once looked like a smart investment.
From Career Year to Controversy
Just a year earlier, Profar had been one of baseball’s most surprising breakout performers.
After signing with the Padres midway through 2023, he returned in 2024 and delivered the best season of his career.
That year he posted remarkable numbers:
• .280 batting average
• .380 on-base percentage
• .459 slugging percentage
• 24 home runs
• 85 RBIs
• .839 OPS
The performance earned him:
• His first All-Star selection
• A Silver Slugger Award
• Even down-ballot MVP votes
For a player once labeled a “can’t-miss prospect” who had struggled to meet expectations, it looked like the long-awaited breakthrough.
Padres Walked Away
Despite that career year, the Padres made a surprising decision.
They did not offer Profar a new contract.
Instead, San Diego chose to allocate its payroll elsewhere, reshaping the roster rather than committing long-term to the outfielder.
Profar himself later admitted he wanted to stay.
“I said it after the playoffs, like, I want to be there,” he said after joining Atlanta.
“But I can’t just grab a contract and sign it. I have to receive one.”
The offer never came.
Braves Took the Risk
Atlanta ultimately stepped in, signing Profar to a three-year, $42 million contract.
At the time, the deal seemed reasonable for a player coming off a career-best season.
But things quickly unraveled.
Even before the new suspension, Profar’s first season in Atlanta was disrupted by the earlier PED violation.
In 2025, he played only 80 games, posting:
• .245 batting average
• .353 OBP
• .434 slugging percentage
• 14 home runs
• 43 RBIs
• .787 OPS
Now, with the 2026 suspension, the Braves will receive zero production from the player while still carrying the financial consequences of the deal.
Meanwhile in San Diego
The Padres, meanwhile, moved in a completely different direction.
Instead of re-signing Profar, they brought in Gavin Sheets on a minor league deal.
That decision has already paid off.
Sheets delivered a strong 2025 season, earning another opportunity with the team in 2026.
While Profar’s career faces uncertainty, San Diego’s roster decision now appears far more calculated than critics once believed.
A Reputation at Risk
For Profar, the latest suspension could have lasting consequences beyond just a lost season.
Repeated PED violations carry significant reputational damage in Major League Baseball.
They can also impact future contract opportunities, Hall of Fame consideration, and international play.
Once celebrated as a comeback story, Profar now faces a difficult road to rebuild both his career and his credibility.
And for the Padres, the situation reinforces a reality that has become clearer with time:
Sometimes the smartest moves in baseball are the ones teams choose not to make.
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