Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Max Kepler played his first game of the 2026 Major League Baseball season on Friday after serving an 80-game suspension due to testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. In January, the 12-year veteran tested positive for epitrenbolone, a metabolite of trenbolone that’s found in some bodybuilding products and has been used in products to promote cattle growth.
On Saturday, the Diamondbacks played the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in Kepler’s second game since returning from the 80-game PED suspension.
And in the top of the fifth inning, Kepler hit a flyball to deep center field. It turned into a 406-foot flyout, with Tampa Bay center fielder Cedric Mullins catching it at the wall.
Seconds later, Tampa Bay commentator Brian Anderson clowned Kepler with a brilliant line on the Rays.TV broadcast alongside play-by-play announcer Dewayne Staats.
“Eighty games ago, that’s probably a homer,” Anderson said about the Kepler flyout to the wall.
Max Kepler just misses a home run.
The announcer Brian: “That would have been a HR 80 games ago.”
Max Kepler was suspended 80 games for taking steroids. pic.twitter.com/3WMjJDXLmK
— js9innings (@js9inningsmedia) June 28, 2026
Max Kepler, who was suspended after a positive PED test, hits a flyout to the warning track in CF.
Brian Anderson: “That would have been a HR 80 games ago.”
Protect BA at all costs.
— Evan Closky (@ECloskyWTSP) June 27, 2026
That’s an incredible takedown from Anderson in just one sentence.
Kepler, 33, signed a one-year deal with the Diamondbacks on June 7 while he was still serving his suspension. Last season with the Philadelphia Phillies, the German outfielder hit 18 home runs with a .690 OPS and had 15 plate appearances over four games played in the postseason. In 2019, he had 36 homers with an .855 OPS with the Minnesota Twins, where he played for his first 10 big-league seasons. So far this season, he’s 0-for-5.
If Arizona (41-41, 2.5 games out of a National League Wild Card spot) makes the postseason this year, Kepler will be ineligible to play due to the failed PED test.
“I do not know how it got into my system, and I’m not the type of player who would be cheating or having the necessary need to take a supplement to get through my career,” Kepler claimed on Thursday. “I’m lucky to be back in this position now, but yeah, that’s my stance.”
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.