Jurickson Profar's Offseason Move Gives Braves Another Reason to Move On

Jurickson Profar is taking the first step toward returning to the field, but his latest move may do little to improve his chances of returning to Atlanta.

The Atlanta Braves outfielder has signed with Tiburones de La Guaira for the 2026-27 Venezuelan Professional Baseball League season. After missing the entire 2026 MLB season because of a second performance-enhancing drug suspension, Profar will have an opportunity to get back into game action this winter. Whether that helps him salvage his standing with the Braves is a different question.

For Atlanta, the issue has become increasingly difficult to separate from the circumstances that led to his absence.

Profar arrived before the 2025 season on a three-year, $42 million contract after a productive year with San Diego. The Braves were expecting a switch-hitter who could provide another dependable presence in the middle of the lineup. Instead, he served an 80-game suspension in 2025 before returning that July and hitting .245 with 14 home runs, 43 RBIs and a .787 OPS across 80 games.

His second suspension, announced in March, cost him the entire 2026 season.

Now the Braves have to decide what comes next, with $15 million still owed to Profar in 2027, the final year of his contract. That financial commitment complicates the decision, but it doesn't necessarily make a reunion any more appealing.

Atlanta admittedly has little reason to bring Profar back after a second violation of MLB's drug policy. The club also has to consider whether he can still provide the production it expected after missing an entire season, particularly when it could use the offseason to address other needs.

That is where MLB.com writer Mark Bowman’s reported outlook becomes significant. In his eyes, there's no realistic scenario in which Atlanta brings Profar back.

The organization has not publicly made that decision, however. During his end-of-season press conference, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said the team still needed to discuss the situation internally.

“There isn’t anything that prevents me from talking about it,” Anthopoulos told reporters, according to Bowman. “What I can tell you is, we’re going to have to sit and talk internally just across the board about the whole thing.”

Profar's winter league agreement gives him a chance to show he can still compete after such a lengthy absence. It also gives him a way to prepare for 2027 without knowing where he will play when spring training arrives.

Atlanta has its own reasons to resolve the situation sooner rather than later. The Braves finished 94-68 and won the National League East before losing to the Dodgers in the Division Series. With the offseason now focused on building a roster capable of advancing further, left field remains a spot the front office must consider.

The money owed to Profar will remain part of that calculation. But the Braves have to weigh that cost against the value of giving him another opportunity in Atlanta.

Profar can use winter ball to begin rebuilding his career. Whether that career continues with the Braves may already be a much harder question to answer.