New Delhi, Jan. 10 -- Major League Baseball (MLB) delivered a major blow to free-agent outfielder Max Kepler on Friday (January 9), announcing an 80-game suspension for violating the league's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball revealed that Kepler tested positive for Epitrenbolone, a metabolite of the banned anabolic steroid trenbolone. This substance falls under MLB's list of prohibited performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). For a first-time offense involving PEDs, the standard penalty is an 80-game ban.

Since Kepler is currently a free agent, the suspension does not start until he signs with a new team for the 2026 season. Once signed, he will miss the first roughly half of the regular...