MLB star Max Kepler’s career just hit a brick wall, and not the kind you run into while chasing a fly ball.
A Rare Violation: Kepler Becomes First to Test Positive for Epitrenbolone
The former Minnesota Twin and Philadelphia Phillie has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for Epitrenbolone, a potent anabolic steroid derived from a drug originally used to bulk up cattle. Yes, cattle. That’s the kind of synthetic power this substance wields, and it’s firmly banned under MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
Kepler, 32, who remains unsigned heading into the 2026 season, accepted the suspension without a fight. That’s significant. No appeal, no statement of denial, just silence, which often speaks volumes. And with free agency hanging in the balance, the timing couldn’t be worse. Any team that signs him knows they won’t have him eligible for the postseason. That’s a heavy penalty to stomach for a mid-tier bat nearing his mid-thirties.
From Promising Prospect to Career Crossroads
It’s a dramatic fall from grace for the Berlin-born outfielder. Kepler showed flashes of serious power during his decade-long stint with the Twins, topping 20 homers in three separate seasons. His 2019 campaign remains his career apex: 36 home runs, 90 RBIs, and an .855 OPS. Not bad for a guy who was originally signed out of Germany as something of a curiosity, a European longshot who made good.
But his 2025 season with the Phillies was a different story. While he played in 127 games, his production lagged: a .216 batting average, 18 home runs, and a .391 slugging percentage. Combine that with his injury history, left patellar tendinitis, and core surgery, and you get a picture of a player likely feeling the pressure to extend his career by any means necessary.
MLB Still Battling Its Own Past
Epitrenbolone is not some over-the-counter supplement that fell into his protein shake. This is an advanced, targeted anabolic steroid that boosts muscle and recovery. It’s also the first time MLB has publicly handed down a suspension for this particular substance since it began announcing penalties in 2005. That’s not just a footnote, it’s a landmark.
In a league still wrestling with its PED-laced past, Kepler’s suspension raises eyebrows. Fourteen players were suspended last year alone. Two of them were on major league rosters, Jurickson Profar and Jose Alvarado, both hit with 80-game bans.
Even if Kepler manages to sign with a club this spring, he’ll be starting his campaign in exile. A cold market awaits, and at 33 with a tainted record, his path back to relevance is steep and uncertain.
Baseball doesn’t forget, and it rarely forgives quickly. Kepler’s next swing may be his hardest yet, if he gets the chance to take it.
