Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss continues to address the fallout surrounding outfielder Jurickson Profar following the veteran’s suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s performance-enhancing drug policy. The situation has quickly become one of the most significant storylines surrounding the club as the organization prepares for Opening Day 2026.
The news immediately placed added attention on leadership within the Braves clubhouse as the team enters a new era under Weiss following Brian Snitker’s retirement last November.
Major League Baseball announced on March 3, 2026, that the former San Diego Padres All-Star would receive a 162-game suspension after testing positive for exogenous testosterone. The penalty was issued under MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and marks the second PED violation of Profar’s career. He previously served an 80-game suspension during the 2025 season.
The suspension carries major implications for both the player and the organization. Profar will forfeit his entire $15 million salary for the 2026 season and is also ineligible to participate in the ongoing World Baseball Classic with the Netherlands. Under MLB policy, a third positive test would result in a lifetime ban from the sport.
In an appearance on the Foul Territory TV network, the Braves manager, in his inaugural season, once again addressed the situation following Profar’s second positive PED test. The network later took to its official X, formerly Twitter, account and shared the clip of the conversation.
“He was going to have to win us over, certainly win me over, and he did.”
"He was going to have to win us over, certainly win me over, and he did."
Braves manager Walt Weiss says he was very disappointed and stunned when he found out about Jurickson Profar's second positive PED test. pic.twitter.com/sAlRHfPsPt
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 9, 2026
Weiss said the violation disappointed and stunned him when the Braves learned of the positive test. The first-year manager added that Profar worked to rebuild trust within the clubhouse after his previous suspension, which had raised concerns about his reliability and commitment to the team.
The development creates a significant roster challenge for Atlanta as the club continues preparations during spring training in North Port, Florida. With Profar now out for the entire 2026 season, the Braves will need other players to step into larger roles in the outfield while the organization moves forward from one of the earliest controversies of Weiss’s tenure as manager.
