MLB free agent outfielder suspended 80 games after testing positive for banned performance-enhancing substance

Major League Baseball announced Friday that escaped cause outfielder Max Kepler received an 80-game suspension pursuing a affirmative trial for a banned performance-enhancing substance.

Kepler, 32, tested affirmative for epitrenbolone, which is simply a metabolite of trenbolone. The substance is recovered successful immoderate products sold astatine bodybuilding stores and has been utilized to beforehand cattle growth.

Kepler spent the archetypal 10 seasons of his vocation with the Minnesota Twins aft signing determination arsenic a 16-year-old successful 2009. Last season, helium signed a one-year, $10 cardinal declaration with the Philadelphia Phillies.

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Philadelphia Phillies near fielder Max Kepler celebrates with teammates aft scoring successful the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game 4 of the NLDS of the 2025 MLB playoffs astatine Dodger Stadium successful Los Angeles Oct. 9, 2025. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)

He struggled past season, hitting .216 with 18 location runs and 52 RBIs successful 127 games. In Kepler’s 11-year career, helium has a .225 batting mean with 179 location runs and 560 RBIs.

The Germany autochthonal is the archetypal subordinate suspended for the substance since the nationalist announcement of punishment details began successful 2005.

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The Philadelphia Phillies' Max Kepler during the eighth inning successful Philadelphia Sept. 10, 2025. (Matt Rourke, File/AP Photo)

Kepler accepted the suspension without contesting the subject done a grievance.

Epitrenbolone was the substance that led to a suspension successful 2018 for boxer Manuel Charr. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced the pursuing twelvemonth that a affirmative trial for the substance prompted it to disqualify 90-year-old cyclist Carl Grove from a satellite grounds helium had acceptable astatine the 2018 Masters Track National Championship. 

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Philadelphia Phillies near fielder Max Kepler hits a solo location tally during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers astatine Dodger Stadium successful Los Angeles Sept. 16, 2025. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)

Fourteen players were suspended past twelvemonth for affirmative tests, including 2 nether the large league program. Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended 80 games March 31, and Phillies person José Alvarado was suspended 80 games May 25.

Even if Kepler does not person a declaration by opening time successful March, MLB and the national usually let a suspended escaped cause to service his punishment arsenic agelong arsenic helium is attempting to scope a woody with teams.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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