Free Agent Max Kepler Faces Shocking 80-Game Suspension: What’s Behind MLB’s Controversial Drug Test Decision?

Here we go again – the saga of performance-enhancing substances rears its unwelcome head, and this time, it’s free agent outfielder Max Kepler caught in the crosshairs. The seasoned veteran, nearing his 33rd birthday, has been handed an 80-game suspension after testing positive for Epitrenbolone. If that name rings a bell, it’s because this particular compound has a shadowy past, one that led boxer Manuel Charr to face the music back in 2018 and saw 90-year-old cyclist Carl Grove lose a hard-earned world record due to a positive test. Epitrenbolone, a Trenbolone metabolite often lurking in bodybuilding supplements and once used to fatten cattle, has now claimed its first Major League Baseball player since the league began openly disclosing these penalties in 2005.

Kepler, a player who has crafted a respectable career split between the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies, didn’t contest the suspension — an unusual move that speaks volumes in the often tumultuous drama of MLB’s drug regulations. With 179 homers and more than 500 RBIs under his belt, this setback lands at a crucial juncture, leaving questions hanging over his immediate future. And while the players’ union and his agency have stayed silent for the moment, the ripple effect of this news is unmistakable in a sport that has battled doping scandals for decades. It’s a tough pill to swallow for any fan, especially considering Kepler’s recent struggles with injury and performance, which only add layers to this already complicated story.

As the simmering debate over PEDs continues, and with other players like Jurickson Profar and José Alvarado recently sidelined by similar suspensions, this development is another chapter in the ongoing battle between MLB’s integrity and the pressures of professional sports. Whether Kepler lands a contract by next spring or serves his sentence as a free agent, the impact of this suspension extends far beyond the stat sheets — it’s a reminder of how high the stakes remain in the pursuit of athletic excellence.

LEARN MORE

NEW YORK — Free agent outfielder Max Kepler was suspended for 80 games on Friday following a positive test for a banned performance-enhancing substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s drug program.

Kepler tested positive for Epitrenbolone, a substance that led to a suspension in 2018 for boxer Manuel Charr. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced the following year that a positive test for the substance caused it to disqualify 90-year-old cyclist Carl Grove from a world record he had set at the 2018 Masters Track National Championship.

Epitrenbolone is a metabolite of Trenbolone, which is contained in some products used in body-building stores and had been used in products to promote cattle growth. Kepler is the first player suspended by MLB for the substance since public announcements of the penalty details began in 2005.

There was no immediate comment from the players’ association or his agency.

Kepler accepted the suspension without contesting the discipline in a grievance, a person familiar with the process told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced.

Kepler, who turns 33 next month, is an 11-year major league veteran who spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies after playing his first 10 seasons with the Minnesota Twins. He became a free agent after the World Series.

Fourteen players were suspended last year for positive tests, including two under the major league program. Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar was banned for 80 games on March 31 and Philadelphia Phillies closer José Alvarado for 80 games on May 25.

Even if Kepler doesn’t have a contract by opening day in March, MLB and the union usually allow a suspended free agent to serve his penalty as long as he is attempting to reach a deal with teams.

Kepler hit .216 with 18 homers and 52 RBIs last year after agreeing to a one-year, $10 million contract. He was slowed in 2024 by left patellar tendinitis and had core surgery after the season to repair a sports hernia.

Kepler grew up in Germany and signed with the Twins at age 16 in 2009. He has a .235 average with 179 homers and 560 RBIs in his big league career.