Former Phillie Max Kepler Tests Positive for PEDs, Wrecks Free Agent Value
Jun 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler (17) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Max Kepler just went from a quiet free-agent target to a January headline for the wrong after MLB hit him with an 80-game suspension for testing positive for Epitrenbolone.
The timing is brutal for Kepler, who was on the free agent market, so the ban does not start until he signs somewhere. That means whoever brings him in is buying a guy who will sit for about half the season before he can even put a uniform on.
Kepler was a big part of the Phils in 2025 after signing a one-year, $10 million prove-it deal last December, where he hit 18 homers, drove in 52 runs, and gave the Phillies solid outfield depth when they needed it. But ultimately, he underperformed in Philadelphia.
He was the type of veteran bat that teams look at in January and February when the top outfielders have been scooped up, and now every front office has to stop and do the math on whether his value is a net positive for only 82 regular-season games.
Epitrenbolone is not some mystery substance; it’s a chemical cousin of trenbolone, both are synthetic anabolic steroids. It’s a drug designed to boost muscle growth, strength, and recovery. That is why MLB banned it as part of the steroid-era fallout. The league’s drug program puts it in the same class as other performance-enhancing steroids because it gives players an obvious edge, and it comes with real health risks.
Kepler’s free agency market just cratered, and teams will either wait him out, try to sign him cheap, or move on to players with a full-year eligibility. Teams don’t generally give real money to a guy who cannot play until June and is coming off a PED suspension.
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
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