Profar will miss the full 2026 season after the appeal of his 162-game PED suspension was denied Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 33-year-old outfielder was handed the suspension in early March, and the ban is now official with the appeal process completed. It's the second straight season with a PED suspension for Profar, who will also be ineligible to play in the postseason.

Profar will be suspended 162 games by Major League Baseball after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time in the last year, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

It was announced March 31 of last year that Profar was suspended 80 games for a positive PED test, and now he is set to miss an entire season for a second failed test. Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the MLBPA plans to challenge the suspension by filing a grievance, though it's highly unlikely it would be overturned. Profar -- who is in the second year of a three-year, $42 million contract -- had been set to serve as Atlanta's primary designated hitter this season. The club could mix and match in that slot now, at least until Sean Murphy (hip) returns, or it could seek help from outside the organization.

Profar said Sunday that he's operating with no restrictions entering spring training after undergoing sports hernia surgery in November, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though he wasn't known to be nursing an injury heading into the offseason, Profar said that he first began to feel discomfort in his core in September. He proceeded to play through the issue but then felt the discomfort crop up again early in his offseason workouts before opting for a procedure. According to Profar, he required six weeks of recovery time following surgery, but he's back to full health heading into his second season with Atlanta. Despite missing 80 games last season after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs in late March, Profar was one of Atlanta's more productive bats when available, slashing .245/.353/.434 with 14 home runs and and nine steals across 371 plate appearances. The 32-year-old made all but one of his 80 starts in left field in 2025, but he's expected to serve as Atlanta's primary designated hitter to begin the upcoming season after the team added Mike Yastrzemski in free agency this winter.

Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Friday that he expects Profar to be deployed at designated hitter often early in the season, Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

EDGE Analysis

Profar will not be a full-time DH, as Weiss likes the flexibility of using others in the spot on occasion, but heading into the season he is viewed as the team's primary option. The switch hitter could shift to left field against tougher southpaws, with the lefty-swinging Mike Yastrzemski going to the bench.

Atlanta activated Profar from the paternity list Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Profar missed the final two games of the series against the Cubs while welcoming a new baby to the family, but he'll be ready for the start of the weekend series against the Mariners. The switch hitter is slashing .253/.386/.471 with nine homers and eight steals in the second half.

Atlanta placed Profar on the paternity list Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Profar will likely miss the final two games of the series against the Cubs before rejoining Atlanta for the start of a homestand Friday. Jake Fraley and Eli White will likely pick up the slack in left field while Profar is away.

Profar went 2-for-3 with three walks, two solo home runs and two additional runs scored in Wednesday's 12-1 rout of the Marlins.

EDGE Analysis

Profar set the tone for the offensive eruption when he took Ryan Gusto deep on the third pitch he saw to lead off the game, before clubbing a Seth Martinez sweeper into the second deck in right field at loanDepot Park to wrap up the scoring in the seventh inning. Profar is up to 12 homers on the season, and six of them have come in the last 10 games -- a stretch in which the 32-year-old outfielder is batting .385 (15-for-39) with three steals, 13 runs, 17 RBI and an 8:5 BB:K.

Profar went 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and a stolen base in Sunday's win over the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

The 32-year-old continues to make an an impact from the leadoff spot for Atlanta. Over the last 16 games, Profar is slashing .323/.447/.613 with five of his 10 homers and five of his seven steals on the season while adding an impressive 15 runs and 21 RBI. The surge has carried his OPS up to .832, just shy of the career-best .839 mark he produced in his breakout 2023 campaign with the Padres.

Profar went 3-for-4 with a double, four RBI and a run scored in Friday's 12-7 loss to the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

It was the third three-hit game of the season by Profar, who fell one RBI short of his season high. The journeyman switch hitter has been on fire since the start of August, slashing .303/.442/.645 with 11 extra-base hits, 21 RBI and four stolen bases across his last 95 plate appearances. Profar has also hit safely in 14 of his 20 outings this month as Atlanta's leadoff batter.

Profar went 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI, a stolen base and an additional run scored in Monday's 13-9 loss to the White Sox.

EDGE Analysis

Profar was relatively quiet at the dish after returning from his suspension in July, posting a .709 OPS last month, but he's really starting to pick up steam in August. The journeyman switch hitter now has five career multi-homer games, and he's hit safely in 12 of his last 17 outings. Profar is slashing a robust .297/.444/.641 with nine extra-base hits, 15 RBI, 16 runs scored and four stolen bases over his last 81 plate appearances.