**Braves’ 2025 Season Crumbles Early: Profar Suspension Caps Nightmarish Start**
The Atlanta Braves, once a model of consistency with seven straight playoff appearances and a 2021 World Series title, are unraveling in spectacular fashion to open the 2025 season. After a puzzlingly quiet offseason, their lone splashy move—a **three-year, $42 million deal** for outfielder Jurickson Profar—has backfired catastrophically.
### **From Hope to Horror**
– **Offseason Gamble**: With Ronald Acuña Jr. sidelined until late May following his second ACL surgery, the Braves signed Profar to plug the outfield gap. The 32-year-old was coming off a career-best 2024 with San Diego (.839 OPS, 24 HRs, first All-Star nod and Silver Slugger).
– **Brutal Opening Act**: Atlanta opened 2025 by getting swept in four games by the Padres, their 2024 playoff executioners. The Braves were outscored 17-7, shut out twice, and endured a **22-inning scoreless streak** heading into Monday’s game against the Dodgers.
– **Profar’s Collapse**: The new acquisition managed just three singles and a walk in 16 plate appearances during the series, foreshadowing worse news to come.
### **The Bombshell Suspension**
On Monday, ESPN reported Profar tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, triggering an **80-game suspension**. The fallout:
**Financial Hit**: Profar forfeits nearly half his $12 million 2025 salary.
⏳ **Roster Crisis**: He’s ineligible until June 29 (Game 85) and barred from the 2025 playoffs if the Braves qualify.
**Profar’s Reaction**: “The most difficult day of my baseball career,” he said, claiming he passed eight PED tests in 2024.
### **Ripple Effects**
– **Managerial Hot Seat**: Fansided’s Chris Schad reports skipper Brian Snitker’s job security is now in question.
– **Depth Disaster**: With Acuña still out and Profar banned, Atlanta’s outfield relies on unproven replacements like *Jarred Kelenic* and *Forrest Wall*.
– **Broader Collapse**: The Braves’ pitching staff (5.23 ERA in April) and lifeless offense (.198 team BA) compound the misery.
### **What’s Next?**
The Braves face a steep climb in a loaded NL East. Acuña’s eventual return offers hope, but the damage may already be irreversible. For Snitker and GM Alex Anthopoulos, the pressure to salvage this season—and their reputations—has never been higher.
*Once a dynasty in the making, Atlanta’s 2025 campaign risks becoming a cautionary tale of offseason complacency and catastrophic luck.*
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