Rangers' fans remember Jurickson Profar's time in Texas after PED suspension news

Flashback to 2013, the Texas Rangers were coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Baltimore Orioles in the 2012 All-Star Game after dropping the American League West to the Athletics by one game.

But there was positive news in the form of a19-year-old from the Netherlands fresh off his MLB debut and recognized as the league's top overall prospect.

Now 12 years later, Jurickson Profar is the latest big leaguer to receive a lengthy 80-game suspension, without pay, after testing positive for the performance enhancing drug (PED), Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG). The outfielder can return on June 29 but will lose over $5 million and will not be eligible for the postseason if the Braves were to get there.

The 32-year-old was coming off the best season of his career with the San Diego Padres, hitting .280/.380/.459 with 24 home runs, 85 RBIs, 10 stolen bases and an .839 OPS, all of which were career highs.

In a statement released Monday by Profar, the outfielder called it the "most difficult time of his career", apologized to Braves fans but made it known that he would never knowingly cheat.

“This is especially painful for me because anyone who knows me and has seen me play knows I am deeply passionate about the game. There is nothing I love more than competing with my teammates and being a fan favorite. I want to apologize to the entire Braves organization, my teammates and the fans," Profar's statement said.

Despite lofty expectations, Profar never hit his stride with the Rangers in during his five years in Texas

Profar was signed as an international free agent by the Rangers in 2009 at only 16 years old.

He made his MLB Debut in 2012, appearing in nine games to end the season. During the 2013 season he was called up in May when Ian Kinsler went on the injured list and hit six home runs and drove in 26 in 85 games to close out the season.

Profar was viewed by many as the "next big player" and lauded as the future of the franchise not only by the organization but fanbase as well. With that in mind, Texas traded Ian Kinsler to Detroit in 2013 for first baseman Prince Fielder and planned to open up second base for Profar. Instead Profar started the year on the 60-day disabled list which proceeded to knock him out for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

He got a second chance to prove his worth in 2016 after he was called up from Triple-A to fill in for Rougned Odor, who was suspended for seven games after punching Jose Bautista. As Odor's replacement, Profar earned himself a permanent spot and when Odor returned, Profar finished out the season with the big league club.

Profar still never found his groove and finished his five-year stint with the Rangers a .240 hitter with 23 home runs, 130 RBIs, a .708 OPS and a 1.7 WAR in 352 games.

After a below average year with the Oakland Athletics in 2019, Profar found his way to San Diego and that is where he truly hit his stride. During his five years with the Padres, Profar played a utility role that registered an 8.2 WAR in his five years.

His career season in 2024 netted him a three-year $42 million deal from Atlanta this offseason and started the year 7-for-28 (4 of hits for extra bases) and two RBIs.