Braves OF Jurickson Profar gets suspended 80 games for taking PEDs

As if the start to this season couldn’t get any worse…

Well, I hope everybody enjoyed watching Jurickson Profar play for the Atlanta Braves during spring training and the first four games of the regular season because it’ll take a while before we see him on the field again. MLB insider Mike Rodriguez was the first to report that Jurickson Profar will be suspended for 80 games due to violating Major League Baseball’s PED policy.

As you can imagine, this is a hammer blow to the Braves and the icing on a cake that is made up of the nastiest stuff that you could imagine to start the season so far. Jurickson Profar signed a three-year, $42 million contract in free agency with the Braves during the offseason and now he won’t be seeing a dime of it while he’s suspended, as PED suspensions come without pay.

In terms of the timing, this now suddenly makes a lot of sense on multiple levels. It explains why the Braves were loading up on outfielders like Alex Verdugo and Stuart Fairchild. Additionally, we have reports that the drug that Profar tested positive for was Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG). Here’s a description of the drug from the NIH with an explanation of how a male athlete would utilize it:

Some male athletes use pharmaceutical preparations of hCG to stimulate testosterone production before competition and/or to prevent testicular shutdown and atrophy during and after prolonged courses of androgen administration.

The Braves reacted pretty strongly to the news:

Once again, this is a major blow to the Braves and a massive disappointment considering that they just signed the guy. It also (fairly or not) puts into question as to whether or not his improvement during his contract year last season was for real or if that was the PEDs pushing him to that level. Either way, this is a massive bummer and a massive disappointment to add to what’s been a stumble out of the gate to start the season for the Braves.

P.S. — Jurickson Profar will also be ineligible for the Postseason roster should the Braves make it there, so there’s that!

UPDATE [7:35 p.m.]: The MLBPA has released a statement on behalf of Jurickson Profar:

Braves fans,

Today is the most difficult day of my baseball career. I am devastated to announce that I have been suspended for 80 games by Major League Baseball and the Commissioner’s office, for testing positive for a banned substance this offseason. This is especially painful for me because anyone who knows me and has seen me play knows I am deeply passionate about the game. 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. I have been tested my entire career, including eight times last season alone, and have never tested positive. I would never willingly take a banned substance, but I take full responsibility and accept MLB’s decision.

I am devastated that I won’t be on the field with my teammates for the next 80 games. I look forward to competing again at the highest level this season upon my return.