The Atlanta Braves have pieced together their outfield throughout the 2026 season, with Michael Harris being the only consistent contributor. Ronald Acuna Jr. has dealt with consistent hamstring injuries, while Jurickson Profar was suspended long before the season began. The veteran outfielder opted for the second straight season to ignore the league's banned substance list, and this time around will miss the entire 2026 season and isn't allowed to take part in any postseason series the Braves take part in.
It is the consequences of a player who has consistently ignored the league's warning shots and now has missed a full year because of it. Still, there is no denying that Profar remains an interesting wildcard for the 2027 season for Atlanta. The Braves are unlikely to part ways with Profar based on the fact that the final year of his contract remains guaranteed.
Finding a trade partner is a possibility, but considering it has been three years since Profar was consistently on the field, this seems unlikely as well. The most likely path is Atlanta opting to give Profar a chance to win a role on the 2027 team, hoping that the best version of the hitter shows up after spending the bulk of the previous two years watching from the sidelines.
Braves Have No Choice but to Hope Jurickson Profar Turns Career Around in Pivotal 2027 Season
Another suspension or a rough year from Profar, and it is fair to wonder if the veteran's career could be reaching its end. Regardless of the answer, the contract leaves the Braves little choice as they look towards next season as the final answer as to whether or not Profar is going to provide any value to Atlanta. There isn't any debating that the contract as a whole has been an undeniable bust, but there is still time for Profar to redeem himself a bit.
Profar's last full season was in 2024 with the San Diego Padres, where the outfielder hit .280 while homering 24 times, driving in 85 runners, and scoring 94 times in what was a strong offense in no small part due to Profar's contributions.
No question, the Braves have an interesting outfield option for the 2027 season, no matter how fans might feel about the outfielder. Frustration is justified, as is pointing out just how much of a waste the signing has been. However, this doesn't wipe away the clear opportunity that remains for Profar heading into next season due to a contract that cannot be escaped.
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