In free agency MLBtime and perception are worth almost the same as talent. A player can go from “perfect fit” to “we better hope” in a matter of hours, especially when a factor appears that alters availability, planning and even the public message that an organization wants to give.
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Max Kepler suspended for 80 games
The free agent outfielder Max Kepler received an 80-game suspension after testing positive for epitrenbolonea performance-enhancing substance, which constitutes a violation of Major League Baseball’s joint anti-doping program. The punishment has a key detail: it is not activated until he signs with a team, so any negotiation now includes a huge asterisk from day one.
The sanction not only cuts the regular season short; It also affects the section that weighs the most for a competing club. Under the program rules, Kepler He will be automatically ineligible for the 2026 postseason, a point that is usually decisive when a roster is built with October in mind and not just April.
In sports, the punishment comes after 2025 with usable production: Kepler played with Philadelphia and left a line .216/.300/.391con 18 home runs y 52 runs produced in 127 games. Those numbers, without being star numbers, do have value for teams looking for circumstantial power, depth in the outfield and a veteran option to move the lineup.
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