The Atlanta Braves are rebounding from a classic baseball issue: one of their players got caught using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). In this case it's a repeat offender, as designated hitter/outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended for the entire season on Tuesday for testing positive a second time, per ESPN.

The 33-year-old was originally suspended for 80 games on March 31, 2025, two months after signing a three-year, $42 million deal with the Braves. He was coming off a career year for the San Diego Padres, as he slashed .280/.380/.459 with 24 homers and 85 RBIs over 158 games.

Profar likely would have been a key contributor to Atlanta's lineup this season, as he posted a .787 OPS across 80 contests in 2025. But Saturday's 2-2 tie against the Baltimore Orioles in spring training exemplified why the team still has hope without the veteran.

Third baseman Austin Riley and left fielder Mike Yastrzemski hit back-to-back solo homers in the bottom of the sixth inning, with Riley's going 361 feet to right and Yastrzemski's going 373 feet to right. The Braves need both players to step up in Profar's absence, so their production this spring is a good sign.

Manager Walt Weiss mentioned the napkins and pieces of paper he uses to create lineups when discussing how he'll assemble the team without Profar on Friday, via MLB.com's Mark Bowman. 

“There’s a lot of napkins on the floor,” Weiss said. “There’s a lot of ways you can go with it. There are some things I’m pretty sure about and some things I’m not as it relates to lineups.”

Riley and Yastrzemski are showing why Weiss should be "sure" about playing them, as Riley is hitting .294 this spring while Yastrzemski is hitting .529. Additionally, shortstop Mauricio Dubon is hitting .313, right fielder Eli White is hitting .316, and center fielder Michael Harris II is hitting .400. 

Of course, Atlanta has only played 14 games, and several of the aforementioned players have only played around half of them. Still, the team needs to figure out which lineups work best without Profar, and these reps help.

Stars Ronald Acuna Jr. and Matt Olson will play regardless, but the Braves' supporting cast will determine if the club returns to the playoffs in 2026. Its current production is unsustainable, but avoiding prolonged slumps will help the mission.

Up next for Atlanta is a spring training matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.