"Changed his number and cut off contact with teammates" — Rumors of sudden disappearance swirl around "Kim Ha-seong's close friend," who received drug suspensions for two consecutive years... "As if he vanished from the face of the earth"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

An unsettling story has emerged surrounding Jurickson Profar (33, Atlanta Braves), who was caught using banned substances for the second year in a row. Reports indicate that he changed his phone number and has effectively cut off contact with those around the team.

Scott Coleman, host of the Atlanta Braves-focused podcast "Hammer Territory," said on the 17th, "I spoke with people around the team, and Profar has disappeared from the face of the earth since receiving his second drug suspension." He added, "He changed his phone number, and no one has heard from him. As far as I have heard, even the players have not received any news from him."

The remarks spread rapidly to various U.S. media outlets, including Sporting News, drawing significant attention locally. However, this does not mean Profar is actually missing. Rather, it is closer in meaning to the fact that contact between Profar and Atlanta team officials and teammates has been severed.

In fact, "Battery Power," a recent outlet covering Atlanta-related news, reported, "Profar has agreed to play for Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Winter League this winter. Tiburones is where Ronald Acuna Jr. often played in the Winter League."

The trigger for Profar's distancing from the team was his second detection of banned substances. The Major League Baseball office handed Profar a 162-game suspension in March last year. Foreign investor testosterone and its metabolites were detected, violating the MLB Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Because it was a second offense, he could not play at all during the 2026 season and also lost eligibility for the postseason and the World Baseball Classic (WBC). He also did not receive his annual salary of $15 million (approximately 20 billion won) for this year.

It was not the first time. Profar received an 80-game suspension in March last year, immediately after signing a three-year, $42 million (approximately 55.9 billion won) contract with Atlanta, due to a positive test for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). At that time, he had played only four games since the season opener.

After returning in July, he lived up to expectations to some extent. In 80 games, he recorded a .245 batting average (78 hits in 318 at-bats), 14 home runs, 43 RBIs, an on-base percentage of .353, a slugging percentage of .434, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .787. In particular, he showed hot hitting in August and was selected as the monthly Player of the Month. Consequently, the team prepared to utilize him again as a key hitter in 2026, putting his first mistake behind them.

However, trust completely collapsed due to the second detection. Another U.S. outlet, AJC, reported, "Profar still has a $15 million contract remaining for 2027. However, it is unclear whether Atlanta will take him back again," adding, "Alex Anthopoulos, President of Baseball Operations, also said, 'It is now time to discuss this.'"

It was the fall of a once-promising prospect. Profar debuted in Major League Baseball with the Texas Rangers in 2012 and went through the Athletics, San Diego Padres, and Colorado Rockies. In 2024 with San Diego, he was selected for his first All-Star Game and won a Silver Slugger Award with a .280 batting average (158 hits in 564 at-bats), 24 home runs, 85 RBIs, 94 runs scored, and an OPS of .839 in 158 games. He has marked a career .245 batting average, 995 hits, 125 home runs, 487 RBIs, 66 stolen bases, and an OPS of .731 in 1,199 MLB games.

To Korean fans, he is also familiar as a close friend of Kim Ha-seong. The two shared the same team for a long time with San Diego and reunited at Atlanta last year. When Kim Ha-seong joined Atlanta last year, Profar said, "We are not just teammates. We have a brotherly relationship. We spend time together at the stadium and in road hotels, and we eat meals together."

However, this year, when Kim Ha-seong stayed with Atlanta on a one-year, $20 million (approximately 26.7 billion won) contract, the two were unable to play together in a single game. Profar was the one who squandered all those opportunities. Although a $15 million contract for 2027 remains, it has become more uncertain than ever whether the partnership between Atlanta and Profar will actually continue.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original