The news that shocked all of Braves country on Monday was the announcement that outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended for 80 games following a positive PED test. As if the vibes couldn't get any lower for Atlanta, losing their lone notable offseason signing was about as tough a blow as it gets for March news.
The impact of losing Profar for half the season will be felt immediately as Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz get thrust into everyday roles for the time being. Alex Verdugo, Eli White, and newest Brave Stuart Fairchild are other internal options, but no matter which direction they go in, the offense took a significant hit that cannot be fixed immediately. Profar's on-base skills and ability to grind at-bats atop the lineup are going to be very tough to replace. That is, at least, until Ronald Acuña Jr. comes back.
However, even if the Braves are lucky enough to roll out an outfield of Profar, Michael Harris II, and Acuña Jr. at some point in July, the team won't have that trio for the most important games of the season.
Because of his failed drug test, Profar is not only suspended for 80 games — he is also ineligible to make the postseason roster in 2025.
Jurickson Profar will be eligible to return to regular-season games after serving his 80-game suspension, but he will be ineligible to participate in the postseason should the Braves make it, a source told The AJC.
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) March 31, 2025
Jurickson Profar ineligible for Braves' postseason roster if Atlanta makes playoffs
The Braves have never made the postseason after starting 0-5 or worse, but should they pull it off in 2025 things will only get harder from there. The San Diego Padres felt this when their franchise player Fernando Tatis Jr. was suspended in August of 2022 and had to miss out on San Diego's run to the NLCS.
The last time an Atlanta Brave was suspended was in 2021 when Marcell Ozuna received a 20-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
After some trying times and tough love from fans, Ozuna was able to turn his Braves career around by producing on the field once again. Profar hasn't been a Brave for very long, and it's very likely that when he makes his home debut at Truist Park this summer, fans will be less than thrilled with him early on. It's up to Profar to produce and win fans back.
However, even if Profar goes nuclear once he returns, Alex Anthopoulos needs to have a contingency plan for the outfield in October. Should the Braves find themselves in the NL East race this summer, then Anthopoulos could look to swing a trade for an outfielder despite having a formidable group already.
Sure, it feels hard to imagine right now, but let's hope this is a topic we're discussing more in-depth come July.