ATLANTA – Curaçao-born baseball player Jurickson Profar has been suspended for 162 games by Major League Baseball after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance for the second time in his career. The sanction means the outfielder of the Atlanta Braves will miss the entire 2026 season.
The 33-year-old player tested positive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites, substances that are prohibited under MLB’s drug prevention and treatment program. Because this is his second violation, league rules automatically impose a full-season suspension of 162 games without pay.
As a result, Profar will forfeit his entire 2026 salary, estimated at about $15 million, and will also be ineligible to participate in the postseason should the Braves qualify.
Second doping violation
This is not the first time Profar has been disciplined under MLB’s anti-doping rules. In 2025 he was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone that can stimulate testosterone production.
Under MLB regulations introduced in 2014, a first positive test leads to an 80-game suspension, while a second violation results in a full-season ban. A third violation could lead to a lifetime suspension from the league.
Profar, who signed a three-year, $42 million contract with Atlanta in 2025, had been expected to play an important role in the team’s lineup this season.
Blow to Kingdom team at World Baseball Classic
The suspension also has consequences for the national team of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Profar had been selected to represent the Dutch squad in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, which begins this week in Miami.
Because of the suspension, he is barred from participating in the tournament, leaving the team without one of its most experienced hitters.
The Dutch team, managed by fellow Curaçao baseball legend Andruw Jones, opens the tournament against Venezuela and will also face Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and Israel in the group stage.
Profar, who debuted in the major leagues in 2012, has played for several MLB teams during his career, including the Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves.
The suspension represents a major setback both for the player and for the Dutch Kingdom team heading into one of the most prestigious international baseball tournaments.