Jurickson Profar was supposed to take the Atlanta Braves to new heights. He was coming off a breakout season with the San Diego Padres, finally maximizing the talent that once had him among baseball’s most popular prospects. And Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves rewarded him with a three-year, $42 million contract.
Instead, Profar failed a performance-enhancing drug test and was suspended for 60 games last season. Now, he’s failed another PED test and is expected to miss the entire 2026 season, as first reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN. Profar is appealing the decision, so a suspension is not yet final. But if finalized, it would be a devastating blow once again for Atlanta.
Atlanta has an obvious replacement in-house for Profar in Mike Yastrzemski, who was signed to a two-year, $23 million contract this offseason. He was supposed to be the No. 4 outfielder behind Ronald Acuna Jr., Michael Harris II and Profar, but with Profar potentially suspended all season, Yastrzemski is now in line for significant playing time.
Besides, Anthopoulos mentioned this winter that he prefers to leave the designated hitter spot open and split the duties between multiple players. Yastrzemski still figures to factor in both the outfield and at DH and with the roughly $15 million saved from Profar’s suspension, should it go through, Anthopoulos can examine the trade and free-agent markets for alternatives.
Braves can bring in Andrew McCutchen on a revenge tour
One option that makes sense is Andrew McCutchen, who seems primed to leave the Pittsburgh Pirates. At 39, he is not the same player he once was. He’s coming off a season in which he hit .239/.333/.367 with a .700 OPS, 13 home runs and 57 RBI. It is clear that he wants to continue playing and sticking in the National League, and having an opportunity to compete against the Pirates after an ugly offseason breakup would surely appeal to him.
McCutchen, of course, would not break the bank. Starling Marte signed a one-year, $1 million contract that included incentives with the Kansas City Royals, and McCutchen surely would get something similar to that. And that could allow Anthopoulos to get creative in addressing the pitching staff with injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach and Hunter Waldrep.
Braves can go get the pitching help they need
With Lucas Giolito and Zach Littell both unsigned, it offers a rare opportunity to sign a veteran pitcher of that caliber deep into free agency. They’d automatically raise the floor, as well as the upside, of the rotation. In Giolito’s case, he’s coming off a season in which he posted a 3.41 ERA and is now two years removed from reconstructive elbow surgery. Besides, both players would help protect against injuries during the regular season as well, something that Anthopoulos knows all too well from recent injury-ridden seasons.
The Braves’ first priority should be adding a bat to replace Profar, should his suspension ultimately go through as expected. A Yastrzemski/McCutchen duo would certainly help. But Profar offered significantly more upside than McCutchen, and it’ll go down as one of the most disappointing and what-if signings in Braves history.Â
But there is still time, and opportunities, for Anthopoulos to salvage this.