Lost in the shuffle of this frustrating year for the Atlanta Braves was the subtraction of their lone free agent signing just a week into the season. Braves fans have had much more to be upset about since it was announced, but Jurickson Profar being suspended 80 games for violating MLB's PED policy definitely threw a wrench in Atlanta's lineup construction early on.
Yesterday afternoon, we learned about a blanket timeline for Profar's return via Braves beat writer Mark Bowman. Initially, there was some confusion about when Profar could exactly return, but that was cleared up recently by Bowman when he provided a statement saying Profar will begin playing in minor league games on Tuesday and barring any rainouts for Atlanta, he will be eligible to return on July 2nd.
Profar will begin playing Minor League games on Tuesday. If there aren’t any more rainouts, he’ll be eligible to return from his 80-game suspension on July 2
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 13, 2025
Jurickson Profar set to playing in minor league games beginning Tuesday
Atlanta's worrisome offensive trends this season has many fans clamoring for the return of Profar, despite the fact we have no idea how good he truly is. However, Profar is owed real money and the Braves' left field problem presents a chance for him to turn around his standing with the fanbase.
Thankfully, the 80 game suspension doesn't prevent Profar from getting up to speed in the coming weeks via minor league games. Profar played in just four games before his suspension, so catching up to pitchers who have a three month head start on him will certainly be a challenge.
The Braves are starting to look like the offense we expected in spring training, but a couple of glaring holes in the lineup still make for many inconsistent performances. Left field is near the top of the list as far as suboptimal production spots for Atlanta in 2025. Profar's return should lengthen the lineup a good amount, and take some pressure off the Braves stars to be awesome all the time.
Snitker inexplicably batted Alex Verdugo second last night, but when Profar returns that could be the ideal spot for the switch-hitting left fielder. Last season Profar slashed .280/.380/.459 in 158 games with San Diego. Profar's ability to work counts and draw walks shouldn't suddenly vanish after 80 games off, and between him and Acuna Jr. they could frustrate pitchers in a hurry.