Free agent outfielder Max Kepler received an 80-game suspension on Friday after violating Major League Baseball’s drug prevention program. MLB announced that Kepler tested positive for epitrenbolone, a banned performance-enhancing substance.
The 32-year-old spent the 2025 season with the Philadelphia Phillies as part of a platoon in the outfield, posting a .216/.300/.391 slash line with 18 home runs and 52 RBIs across 127 games. Prior to that, Kepler played his entire MLB career with the Minnesota Twins, who originally signed him out of Germany. From 2016 to 2024, he recorded a .747 OPS, hit 161 home runs, and accumulated 20.6 wins above replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.
A representative for Kepler’s agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Under a negotiated agreement with the league, Kepler does not need to be signed to a team for the suspension to take effect. If he remains unsigned, games played by the Phillies will count toward serving the suspension, a source familiar with the situation said. However, Kepler will still be ineligible for the 2026 postseason.
