The Philadelphia Phillies entered this season with lofty expectations and have met them so far in a very small four-game sample size. After taking two out of three games in their season-opening series in Washington, the Phillies secured a 6-1 win in their home opener versus the Colorado Rockies on Monday. The Phillies got a three-hit contribution from new left fielder Max Kepler, who on a one-year, $10 million deal has looked the part of a quality starter.
Their NL East rival Atlanta Braves, on the other hand, would love to forget their opening series. They were swept at the hands of the San Diego Padres in four games, mustering just seven runs total, including back-to-back shutouts — and they lost again on Monday night to the Los Angeles Dodgers. As if Braves fans weren't disappointed enough in the team's lackluster start, they were hit with shocking news about their prized offseason signing, making the Phillies' signing of Kepler look genius so far.
Jurickson Profar suspended 80 games for PED use, making Max Kepler look like a steal
Near the end of the Phillies' win late Monday afternoon, MLB insider Mike Rodriguez first broke the news of Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar being suspended 80 games for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy.
Breaking News: According to my sources, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar tested positive for some substances banned by the MLB and will be suspended. #Braves #JuricksonProfar pic.twitter.com/80rDocJBtG
— Mike Rodriguez (@mikedeportes) March 31, 2025
The suspension is effective immediately, and was later confirmed by ESPN's Jeff Passan. This is a pretty big hit to Atlanta's lineup this season, as Profar was expected to play a large role as the team's starting left fielder. Profar signed a three-year, $42 million dollar contract this winter after finally breaking through as an All-Star with the San Diego Padres in 2024.
MLB Pipeline's former No. 1 prospect hit .280 with a career-high 24 home runs and 85 RBIs, making him the National League's starting left fielder in the All-Star Game. The worst part about the suspension for the World Series-hopeful Braves is that Profar will be ineligible for the team's playoff roster, as reported by FanSided's Robert Murray.
Jurickson Profar will be eligible to return to regular season games after serving his 80-game suspension without pay, but he will be ineligible to participate in the postseason if the Atlanta Braves qualify.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) March 31, 2025
Once again, the Phillies' offense came alive against the bullpen after being shut down by starting pitching, with Colorado's Germán Márquez tossing six scoreless innings. After taking the lead in the seventh inning, the game was blown open by home runs from Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, and Kepler. Later on in the eighth, Kepler launched one just inside the right field foul pole for his first homer with the club.
‼️ Das ist gut ‼️ pic.twitter.com/642G2Nen3D
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) March 31, 2025
In the very young season, Kepler has looked confident in the batter's box with an impressive .364 average and 1.318 OPS. This past offseason, it was known that the Phillies were searching for a corner outfielder who could play mostly left field, with Brandon Marsh getting most of the team's starts in center field. The fact that Kepler had never made a single major-league appearance in left field and is a lefty bat in a lineup already dominated by lefties made the deal a bit surprising.
It appeared that the Profar signing clearly gave the Braves a superior outfield. However, early on, Kepler has looked like a $10 million bargain, especially when compared to the $14 million a season the Braves signed Profar for.
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