Arizona Diamondbacks designate Max Kepler for assignment after brief stint

The Arizona Diamondbacks designated outfielder Max Kepler for assignment on Sunday, ending his brief tenure with the team. The move came shortly after Kepler provided a public explanation for an 80-game suspension he served earlier this season for a positive performance-enhancing drug test. Kepler, who previously played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2025, signed with Arizona in June following the completion of his suspension. In 145 plate appearances for the Diamondbacks, he posted a.205 batting average with two home runs. The organization cleared a roster spot for catcher Adrian Del Castillo, who was recalled from Triple-A Reno. Kepler suggested in a recent interview that his positive test may have resulted from consuming contaminated red meat, though he acknowledged that the lack of definitive evidence made his theory difficult to prove.

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