He had only been back so recently. Last July, Curaçaoan baseball player Jurickson Profar was allowed to play for his American club, the Atlanta Braves, again after months. He was forced to miss eighty matches due to a doping penalty imposed after he tested positive for a testosterone-enhancing drug in March 2025.
The home crowd was initially unenthusiastic: when he struckout with all the bases loaded in the first inning, Profar was booed from the stands. But a home run later in the game made up for a lot, noted The Athleticthe sports branch of The New York Times. Profar then apologized to his teammates, his club and his fans. He also said he would “never knowingly” cheat.
Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. turned down that day The Athletic mildly about Profar. “He is one of us. He is part of our team.” And, Acuña Jr. said: “We all make mistakes. I think it’s just a matter of turning the page and moving on.”
Now, just before the start of the American baseball season, 33-year-old Profar has been caught doping again. Profar was supposed to play with the Dutch kingdom team against the American professional club Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday evening, but during the exhibition game – in preparation for the World Baseball Classic – he was removed from the line-up at the very end. So that leaves his name had already been announced by the stadium speaker.
162 game suspension
On Tuesday evening American time, Major League Baseball (MLB) confirmed what several media in the United States had already reported: Profar had tested positive for doping. To be precise, on “externally administered testosterone and breakdown products”, according to the professional association. It is known that hCG, a hormone that affects men, was found at Profar last year can increase testosterone production.
Profar is now being imposed a much higher penalty for his second violation: MLB suspends him for 162 games, a full season. That suspension takes effect on Friday. He is not entitled to his salary of 15 million dollars (12.9 million euros) during that period. Profar is also not allowed to play for the kingdom team at the World Baseball Classic, the unofficial baseball World Cup, which starts on Thursday. According to various American media Profar would appeal MLB’s decision through the players’ union.
The question is whether Profar’s three-year contract with the Atlanta Braves will survive this second doping suspension. The club said in a statement to be “extremely disappointed” because of his positive doping test. The club claims that players are constantly “educated” about the MLB doping program and “the consequences of a violation.”
Profar, born in Willemstad in 1993, was seen as a top talent in his youth. As a 17-year-old, he left baseball-mad Curaçao for the United States, where he joined a training team for the Texas Rangers. He made his debut at the highest level for that team two years later, but due to injuries he played little in his first professional seasons. writes sports website ESPN.
24 home runs
He had the most successful year of his career in 2024, playing for the San Diego Padres. He hit 24 home runs, the highest number in his career, and also made the MLB All-Star team that year, which is composed of the best players in American professional baseball. Last year, Profar started as an outfielder for the Braves, where he signed a three-year contract worth $42 million (approximately €36 million).
Doping is a long-standing problem in the Major League, with American baseball legend Barry Bonds as the best-known example. According to ESPN the number of doping suspensions has decreased in recent years, with two last year (including Profar) and five in the past three years. A handful of baseball players, like Profar, received a season-long suspension after a second offense, a measure that MLB introduced in 2014. Among them Robinson Canó, who played for the New York Yankees, the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners, among others.
Without Profar, the Dutch kingdom team – which largely consists of players who, like him, come from Curaçao and play in the American league – will kick off the World Baseball Classic this Friday against Venezuela. “A huge shame, he is a very important player for the kingdom team,” said commentator and former baseball coach Charles Urbanus against the NOS.
