Former Phillies outfielder Max Kepler‘s return to the big leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks following his 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug was cut short on Sunday.
The Diamondbacks designated Kepler for assignment after 41 games for the club, making room on the active roster for catcher/designated hitter Adrian Del Castillo, who was recalled from Triple-A Reno. Kepler batted .205 with two home runs and a .565 OPS.
Kepler, 33, signed a one-year deal with the Phillies before last season after 10 years with the Minnesota Twins. He began the year as the starting left fielder, but he eventually settled into a strong-side platoon role in right field down the stretch. Kepler hit .216 with 18 homers and a .691 OPS in 2015, although he did play better in August and September with a .791 OPS.
In January, Major League Baseball announced that Kepler was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for epitrenbolone, a banned substance. He is not eligible for postseason play in 2026 season, but he was permitted to get back on a major-league field in June. He signed with the Diamondbacks earlier that month, went on a rehab assignment in the minor leagues to build up and was activated on June 26.
Kepler did not perform and had lost playing time of late. The Phillies visited Arizona last week, and Kepler did not appear in any of the three games. He did speak with Phillies Nation‘s Destiny Lugardo during that series, reflecting on his suspension, his time in Philadelphia and more.
It seems unlikely that Kepler will spend more time on a big-league roster this season due to his lack of production and ineligibility for the playoffs. But it will remain to be seen whether he can make it back or not in the future.
