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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Guardian sport

Free agent outfielder Max Kepler hit with 80-game ban for positive drug test

Max Kepler of the Phillies celebrates his solo home run in the seventh inning of a May game against the Diamondbacks.
Max Kepler of the Phillies celebrates his solo home run in the seventh inning of a May game against the Diamondbacks. Photograph: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Free agent outfielder Max Kepler has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, Major League Baseball announced on Friday, a ruling that sidelines the veteran as he looks for his next club.

The suspension stems from a positive test for epitrenbolone, a metabolite of the prohibited steroid trenbolone prohibited under MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The ban takes effect immediately and would apply if Kepler signs with a team during the 2026 season.

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