PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed outfielder Max Kepler, who is still serving an 80-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Terms of the deal announced on Sunday were not available. Kepler will not be able to report to the team until June 25, when his suspension ends. He will remain on the restricted list and not count against Arizona’s 40-man roster until then. Kepler tested positive in January for Epitrenbolone, a metabolite of Trenbolone that’s contained in some products used in
body-building stores and has been used in products to promote cattle growth. Kepler was the first player suspended by MLB for the substance since public announcements of the penalty details began in 2005. The 33-year-old Kepler hit .216 with 18 homers and 52 RBIs with Philadelphia last year after agreeing to a $10 million, one-year 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 during an 11-year big league career. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Max Kepler, Arizona Diamondbacks, PED suspension, Epitrenbolone, Trenbolone, restricted list, MLB
So he’s still banned but they “signed” him??
I don’t get it. If it’s an 80-game suspension then how is the D-Backs signing him already. June 25 just feels like they’re waiting around for him to be allowed to work. Also epitrenbolone sounds like some gym supplement thing not even a real drug name.
Epitrenbolone metabolite of Trenbolone… so basically he got popped for cattle growth and now he’s on a baseball team lol. Not saying he’s innocent but half the time these guys are probably taking whatever some store sells and nobody checks ingredients. Maybe MLB should just test supplements in general, because this is always the same story.
June 25 is a long time. Meanwhile his stats were only .216 with 18 homers which is not exactly MVP. Why not wait and sign someone else, feels like they’re gambling. And the whole “restricted list not counting against roster” thing is confusing me, like he’s on the team but not on the team??