Jurickson Profar News: Taking live BP

Profar (suspension) has begin taking live batting practice at Atlanta's spring training complex in North Port, David O'Brien of the Athletic reports.

Slapped with an 80-game PED suspension four games into the season, Profar has yet to give Atlanta much of a return on the three-year, $42 million contract he signed with the club this winter. He's eligible to rejoin the 26-man roster July 2 and can begin playing in minor-league games Tuesday, and given the miserable production the team has gotten in left field in his absence, Profar should immediately jump into the starting lineup upon his return. He'll be ineligible for postseason action this year, however, so if the NL East squad makes a push up the standings before the trade deadline -- Atlanta is currently 14 games back of the Mets for the division lead, and eight games out of the final wild-card spot -- the 32-year-old could get some real competition for playing time down the stretch.