Jason Burgos
The Atlanta Braves got more tough news on Tuesday, but it may open the door for a bold trade the club should seriously consider.
This has been a rough last couple of weeks for the Braves. They entered 2026 spring training with legitimate hope to be a problem in the NL East this season. However, they were quickly hit with a gut punch when it was revealed that both Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach required surgery on their pitching elbows that could force them out for much, if not all, of this season.
Yet, that is not where the bad news ends. On Tuesday, ESPN was first to report that outfielder Jurickson Profar will be hit with a 162-game ban after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. This is his second suspension after losing 80 games last year for a positive test. However, there is a bright side to the news.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Braves will save $18 million as Profar serves his unpaid suspension. The 33-year-old was set to make $15 million, but they will save more because Atlanta was above the “luxury-tax threshold and was paying 20 percent for every dollar they were above.”
Following the news, ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney suggested the team could use the new money and try to target options to replace Schwellenback and Waldrep. That would certainly make sense. However, they need to add an outfielder and a meaningful bat to the lineup.
Atlanta Braves should target Jarren Duran trade after Jurickson Profar suspension
That is why a trade for Boston Red Sox one-time All-Star Jarren Duran makes sense. The outfielder was linked to trade rumors all offseason but remains in Beantown. While the Sox may be willing to move him, the reason they didn’t is that they want something worthwhile in return since he is a good player under team control through 2028.
The Braves need an outfielder, and Duran would be a very affordable option for the next few seasons while being a potential core member of their revised lineup. They may have to part with a notable prospect or two in the deal. However, the price would be worth it to land a young impact player that could be a meaningful part of a team that has a real chance to be a dark horse in the NL this year.
Furthermore, they would actually save money while getting better in the outfield or at designated hitter.
