The Philadelphia Phillies begin a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, June 8. They currently stand second in the National League, 9.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves.
On Sunday, following the conclusion of their 9-5 win over the Chicago White Sox, former Phillies outfielder Max Kepler signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Kepler was not re-signed after his disappointing 2025 season, and later tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in January 2026.
Kepler was given an 80-game suspension that will last until the end of June.
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Max Kepler Signs With the Arizona Diamondbacks Amid PEDs Suspension
After completing his one-year, $10 million contract in Philadelphia, outfielder Max Kepler was not signed ahead of the 2026 MLB season. 65 games into the season, the 33-year-old has been picked up by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Per Bob Nightengale at USA Today:
“The Arizona Diamondbacks sign OF Max Kepler, who was popped for PEDs in January and remains on the MLB restricted list. He will still have to miss 80 games and is ineligible for the postseason.”
Kepler was suspended back on January 9 for violating Major League Baseball’s drug program. He tested positive for epitrenbolone, a performance-enhancing substance.
Following the 65 games that the Philadelphia Phillies have played thus far, Kepler would serve out the final 15 games of his suspension under the Diamondbacks’ schedule. He would eligible to return against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, June 24.
Kepler’s signing will not affect the Twins 40-man roster until he is eligible to play.
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Max Kepler’s Time With Philadelphia Phillies
In December 2024, Max Kepler signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The outfielder slashed .216/.300/.391 with an OPS of .691. Kepler had 19 doubles, 18 home runs, and 52 RBIs in 127 games and 418 at-bats. Kepler’s performance was subpar compared to years past, notching his third-lowest OPS of his 10-year career.
While it is not certain that the Phillies were going to re-sign him for 2026, the nail in the coffin was the MLB announcement of his 80-game suspension for PEDs. The Phillies also had top outfielding prospect Justin Crawford MLB ready at the start of this season.
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Max Kepler’s MLB career
Before signing with the Phillies in 2024, Max Kepler spent nine seasons with the Minnesota Twins.
Kepler was not selected through the MLB draft since he is a German-born citizen. The Twins signed him as an international free agent in 2010 at 16 years old.
He made his MLB debut five years later on September 27, 2015.
At 33 years old, the outfielder slashed a career .235/.316/.425 with an OPS of .741.
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