Longtime Minnesota Twin Suspended for PEDs

It’s a joke that Major League Baseball has not enshrined Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and many others in Cooperstown. Yes, they all used performance enhancing drugs, but it was something that the sport turned a blind eye to, and the Baseball Hall of Fame is supposed to be a museum.

The league has since taken a different stance after Bud Selig allowed steroids to save the sport following a lockout under his watch. Multiple Minnesota Twins have been caught up in issues during recent seasons, and the latest one will raise some eyebrows.

Max Kepler was on the sauce

Jorge Polanco was suspended for PEDs during the 2018 season. Ervin Santana was suspended during the 2015 season. Now free agent, and former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler, has been popped with an 80-game suspension.

NEWS: Free-agent outfielder Max Kepler has received an 80-game, PED-related suspension. MLB said he tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Epitrenbolone.

— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) January 9, 2026

The 32-year-old outfielder signed with the Phillies last offseason after spending a decade with the Minnesota Twins. He played in just 105 games during his final season with Minnesota, and hip issues sapped his overall effectiveness. Ultimately they traded for Harrison Bader to replace him.

That may be why Kepler decided to start using performance enhancing drugs. He may have felt better with the Phillies this season, but the performance certainly didn’t follow suit

Signed to be a regular corner outfielder, Kepler batted just .216/.300/.391 with 19 doubles and 18 home runs. He consistently rebelled against an ideal to put the ball in the air, and he has had just one productive offensive season outside of the juiced ball 2019 campaign.

After somehow landing a $10 million deal with Philadelphia last offseason, it was already likely he went unsigned this offseason. His 88 OPS+ is awful for a corner outfielder, and his defensive prowess (-1 DRS, -2 FRV) has faded. Now he’s looking at a cold winter hoping someone gives him a chance on a minor league deal rooted in future belief.