Outfielder Max Kepler has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug Epitrenbolone, MLB announced Friday.
The 32-year-old Kepler is currently a free agent after spending last season with the Philadelphia Phillies. He played 127 games in 2025, slashing .216/.300/.391 with 18 home runs and 52 RBI. He’s ranked No. 41 on Yahoo Sports’ list of this winter’s top free agents.
The clock on Kepler’s 80-game suspension will begin if he signs a major-league contract for the upcoming season. He is automatically ineligible for the 2026 postseason due to the ban.
According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Epitrenbolone is a metabolite of trenbolone, an anabolic steroid.
Kepler has played 11 MLB seasons, his first 10 with the Minnesota Twins before he signed a one-year, $10 million deal to join the Phillies in December 2024.
Outfielder Max Kepler has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug Epitrenbolone, MLB announced Friday.
The 32-year-old Kepler is currently a free agent after spending last season with the Philadelphia Phillies. He played 127 games in 2025, slashing .216/.300/.391 with 18 home runs and 52 RBI. He’s ranked No. 41 on Yahoo Sports’ list of this winter’s top free agents.
The clock on Kepler’s 80-game suspension will begin if he signs a major-league contract for the upcoming season. He is automatically ineligible for the 2026 postseason due to the ban.
According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Epitrenbolone is a metabolite of trenbolone, an anabolic steroid.
Kepler has played 11 MLB seasons, his first 10 with the Minnesota Twins before he signed a one-year, $10 million deal to join the Phillies in December 2024.
Each week during the 2025-26 NBA season, we will take a deeper dive into some of the league’s biggest storylines in an attempt to determine whether trends are based more in fact or fiction moving forward.
Last time: ]
I think what Brown is getting at: I’m the most balanced player in the game. He is playing offense at an All-NBA First Team level, ranking fifth in the league in scoring, and he is capable of playing on an All-Defensive First Team plane as well, as we saw in the 2024 NBA Finals opposite Dončić or more recently vs. Leonard.
But let us not pretend like Brown is texting his coach before every game, singling out the toughest opponent. Jordan Walsh and Huge González also draw those defensive assignments. Still, Brown is the best defensive player, when he needs to be, on the NBA’s 15th-rated outfit. That counts for something.
Does it count as much as SGA being a key cog for the league’s best defense — by far? He is not the Oklahoma City Thunder’s best defender. That moniker goes to Lu Dort or Alex Caruso or Cason Wallace or Jalen Williams or one of their bigs. They are stacked in that regard, which is why their defensive rating is five points per 100 possessions better than any other team in the league. And SGA is a big part of that.
SGA rarely draws the top defensive assignment, but he often ranks among the league’s leaders in steals. He can and does defend across multiple positions for the NBA’s top outfit, and he can’t be picked upon.
Why, then, wouldn’t he be the leader in this conversation about the league’s best two-way player? Maybe Brown thinks he is a better 1-on-1 perimeter defender than Gilgeous-Alexander, and he may be right. But there are better defenders than Brown, too. May I present to you Wembanyama and Antetokounmpo?
Each of them adds a layer of rim protection that Brown cannot match, even if you could make the argument that he is a better on-ball defender than either of them. Like, would you rather have Dončić matched up against Wemby, Giannis or Brown at the arc? I don’t know, but I know who Brown would say, and we have seen it work to a championship degree. Who are we to argue with Brown on that angle?
Still, Wembanyama is the game’s best defensive player who is also averaging 24.2 points on 52/36/83 shooting splits.
Likewise, Antetokounmpo is a relentless menace on both ends.
Could we make the case that Brown is more skilled offensively than Wembanyama or Antetokounmpo? Sure. But that is getting back to Brown’s very narrow definition of the game’s best two-way player — as its most balanced player. Brown’s offense and defense might be most equally rated at the highest level.
But if we’re talking the game’s best two-way player, if it is not Jokić, it is SGA, and if it is not SGA, it is Antetokounmpo or Wembanyama, and if it is not them, then maybe it is Brown. Or Anthony Edwards.
But this is getting ridiculous. It is a fun topic to debate, though. Thanks, Jaylen, for this week’s topic.
Although, now we’re getting a little out of hand …
Talk your s***, though. You’ve earned your entry into the conversation.
Determination: Fiction. Jaylen Brown is not the game’s best two-way player. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is, until someone knocks him off the throne. We will get two battles of the game’s last two Finals MVPs twice in a two-week span in March. Buckle up, too, for Jayson Tatum may be coming for both of them by then.
Each week during the 2025-26 NBA season, we will take a deeper dive into some of the league’s biggest storylines in an attempt to determine whether trends are based more in fact or fiction moving forward.
Last time: ]
I think what Brown is getting at: I’m the most balanced player in the game. He is playing offense at an All-NBA First Team level, ranking fifth in the league in scoring, and he is capable of playing on an All-Defensive First Team plane as well, as we saw in the 2024 NBA Finals opposite Dončić or more recently vs. Leonard.
But let us not pretend like Brown is texting his coach before every game, singling out the toughest opponent. Jordan Walsh and Huge González also draw those defensive assignments. Still, Brown is the best defensive player, when he needs to be, on the NBA’s 15th-rated outfit. That counts for something.
Does it count as much as SGA being a key cog for the league’s best defense — by far? He is not the Oklahoma City Thunder’s best defender. That moniker goes to Lu Dort or Alex Caruso or Cason Wallace or Jalen Williams or one of their bigs. They are stacked in that regard, which is why their defensive rating is five points per 100 possessions better than any other team in the league. And SGA is a big part of that.
SGA rarely draws the top defensive assignment, but he often ranks among the league’s leaders in steals. He can and does defend across multiple positions for the NBA’s top outfit, and he can’t be picked upon.
Why, then, wouldn’t he be the leader in this conversation about the league’s best two-way player? Maybe Brown thinks he is a better 1-on-1 perimeter defender than Gilgeous-Alexander, and he may be right. But there are better defenders than Brown, too. May I present to you Wembanyama and Antetokounmpo?
Each of them adds a layer of rim protection that Brown cannot match, even if you could make the argument that he is a better on-ball defender than either of them. Like, would you rather have Dončić matched up against Wemby, Giannis or Brown at the arc? I don’t know, but I know who Brown would say, and we have seen it work to a championship degree. Who are we to argue with Brown on that angle?
Still, Wembanyama is the game’s best defensive player who is also averaging 24.2 points on 52/36/83 shooting splits.
Likewise, Antetokounmpo is a relentless menace on both ends.
Could we make the case that Brown is more skilled offensively than Wembanyama or Antetokounmpo? Sure. But that is getting back to Brown’s very narrow definition of the game’s best two-way player — as its most balanced player. Brown’s offense and defense might be most equally rated at the highest level.
But if we’re talking the game’s best two-way player, if it is not Jokić, it is SGA, and if it is not SGA, it is Antetokounmpo or Wembanyama, and if it is not them, then maybe it is Brown. Or Anthony Edwards.
But this is getting ridiculous. It is a fun topic to debate, though. Thanks, Jaylen, for this week’s topic.
Although, now we’re getting a little out of hand …
Talk your s***, though. You’ve earned your entry into the conversation.
Determination: Fiction. Jaylen Brown is not the game’s best two-way player. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is, until someone knocks him off the throne. We will get two battles of the game’s last two Finals MVPs twice in a two-week span in March. Buckle up, too, for Jayson Tatum may be coming for both of them by then.
The Yankees have claimed reliever Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Astros.
Ort was DFA’d earlier this week to make room for the recently-signed Tatsuya Imai on Houston’s roster.
The righty originally broke into the league with the Red Sox, but he spent the past two years in the Astros’ bullpen.
He enjoyed a breakout campaign during his first year with Houston, recording a career-best 2.55 ERA in 22 appearances in 2024, but took a step back last season.
Ort pitched to 4.89 ERA over 49 innings before missing the final two months with elbow inflammation.
The 33-year-old will now compete for a spot in the Yankees’ bullpen in spring training.
It’s not a surprising development as Morant, the league’s No. 1 problem child, comes with an avalanche of attached concerns.
We all know about the gun incidents and the suspensions, which is already bad enough. The off-court drama alone would be justifiable cause for any team to not be interested, but unfortunately the problems go deeper.
Morant has shown a tendency of mentally checking out on his team, even during games, and bailing on your teammates in the NBA is considered flat-out unacceptable. Just as the off-court issues would be enough of a reason for teams to not have interest in him, so would this.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there.
In terms of his playing style, Morant isn’t easy to implement, as he’s not a good long-range shooter by any stretch of the imagination, nor does he offer high-caliber defense or elite playmaking.
What Morant does provide is truly elite athleticism, to the point where he can score a significant portion of points every night by simply running faster and jumping higher than his opponents.
This isn’t without value, especially as he’s also a good rebounder who does an absolutely wonderful job of taking the ball off the rim and pushing it in transition while defenses are still adjusting.
In totality, what Morant offers is indeed a very particular set of skills, which any organization would have to build around or at the very least adjust.
Ja Morant’s game is tough to fit on a roster. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Justin Ford via Getty Images
That’s a big ask, especially when Morant hasn’t proven to be that effective. The 26-year-old has taken over 17 shots per game for his career, but his true-shooting percentage of 55.6 is pedestrian.
In this day and age, it’s practically impossible to build a high-level offense around a player with middling efficiency who can’t space the floor and has too many turnovers compared to assists. It’s also worth noting Morant has never played 70 games in a season and is often hampered by injuries because of his high-flying game.
As such, we need to identify teams that could use Morant, but in the capacity of a second or third star. Because as the leading man, he makes no sense.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz would be interesting, especially if they can somehow get him without relinquishing Lauri Markkanen or Keyonte George, who in this case could get shifted to off-guard.
(Given the return Atlanta got for Trae Young, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if the Grizzlies have to settle for something similar, especially given that Young is better.)
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks need firepower alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, and while Morant doesn’t solve their spacing issues, perhaps his up-tempo style could fit with Antetokounmpo, but it’d probably take a fresher mind than Doc Rivers to make it work.
Do note that Morant’s price tag of $39.4 million does not always make a trade easy, especially for expensive teams.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are in stark need of a point guard, but they need a playmaker who can help space the floor more for Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, which isn’t exactly a strength of Morant’s.
Houston Rockets
There’s a case to be made that the Rockets could be a solid destination for him, especially given the presence of Kevin Durant and their need for a point guard. But in this case, head coach Ime Udoka would have to heavily stagger Morant with Amen Thompson because of the shooting issues, again underlining how difficult Morant is to have on the roster. And besides, Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko reports the Rockets are not interested in the two-time All-Star.
These teams aren’t clear fits, but they present some of the best out there. That’s due to the complexity of Morant’s game, which doesn’t lend itself particularly well to team-oriented basketball.
Feb. 5 is the NBA’s trade deadline, so it’ll be interesting to see which team, if any, jumps out of left field and makes its presence known in the Ja market.
It’s not a surprising development as Morant, the league’s No. 1 problem child, comes with an avalanche of attached concerns.
We all know about the gun incidents and the suspensions, which is already bad enough. The off-court drama alone would be justifiable cause for any team to not be interested, but unfortunately the problems go deeper.
Morant has shown a tendency of mentally checking out on his team, even during games, and bailing on your teammates in the NBA is considered flat-out unacceptable. Just as the off-court issues would be enough of a reason for teams to not have interest in him, so would this.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there.
In terms of his playing style, Morant isn’t easy to implement, as he’s not a good long-range shooter by any stretch of the imagination, nor does he offer high-caliber defense or elite playmaking.
What Morant does provide is truly elite athleticism, to the point where he can score a significant portion of points every night by simply running faster and jumping higher than his opponents.
This isn’t without value, especially as he’s also a good rebounder who does an absolutely wonderful job of taking the ball off the rim and pushing it in transition while defenses are still adjusting.
In totality, what Morant offers is indeed a very particular set of skills, which any organization would have to build around or at the very least adjust.
Ja Morant’s game is tough to fit on a roster. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
Justin Ford via Getty Images
That’s a big ask, especially when Morant hasn’t proven to be that effective. The 26-year-old has taken over 17 shots per game for his career, but his true-shooting percentage of 55.6 is pedestrian.
In this day and age, it’s practically impossible to build a high-level offense around a player with middling efficiency who can’t space the floor and has too many turnovers compared to assists. It’s also worth noting Morant has never played 70 games in a season and is often hampered by injuries because of his high-flying game.
As such, we need to identify teams that could use Morant, but in the capacity of a second or third star. Because as the leading man, he makes no sense.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz would be interesting, especially if they can somehow get him without relinquishing Lauri Markkanen or Keyonte George, who in this case could get shifted to off-guard.
(Given the return Atlanta got for Trae Young, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if the Grizzlies have to settle for something similar, especially given that Young is better.)
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks need firepower alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, and while Morant doesn’t solve their spacing issues, perhaps his up-tempo style could fit with Antetokounmpo, but it’d probably take a fresher mind than Doc Rivers to make it work.
Do note that Morant’s price tag of $39.4 million does not always make a trade easy, especially for expensive teams.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are in stark need of a point guard, but they need a playmaker who can help space the floor more for Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, which isn’t exactly a strength of Morant’s.
Houston Rockets
There’s a case to be made that the Rockets could be a solid destination for him, especially given the presence of Kevin Durant and their need for a point guard. But in this case, head coach Ime Udoka would have to heavily stagger Morant with Amen Thompson because of the shooting issues, again underlining how difficult Morant is to have on the roster. And besides, Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko reports the Rockets are not interested in the two-time All-Star.
These teams aren’t clear fits, but they present some of the best out there. That’s due to the complexity of Morant’s game, which doesn’t lend itself particularly well to team-oriented basketball.
Feb. 5 is the NBA’s trade deadline, so it’ll be interesting to see which team, if any, jumps out of left field and makes its presence known in the Ja market.
The Atlanta Hawks just traded their star, in-his-prime point guard to Washington for an unimpressive return — no draft picks, no young players, mostly an expiring contract — because it was the only viable option. There was no meaningful trade market for Trae Young.
Now enter Ja Morant into the conversation.
The Memphis Grizzlies are, for the first time, “entertaining offers to potentially move two-time All-Star,” reports Shams Charania of ESPN. “Multiple teams are pursuing Morant in trade talks and rival executives believe the Grizzlies would prioritize draft picks and young players in return,” is the spin from Charania.
That kind of trade will be difficult to find. While there are front offices that like the potential of a Morant comeback story, not many teams are looking for a point guard, let alone a ball-dominant one who is a minus defender and on a max contract. Much as it was with Young, some teams will expect Memphis to add draft picks as sweeteners to the deal to get them to take on Monrant and his contract.
Morant, 26, will miss his fourth straight game Friday night due to a calf contusion, and he has missed 19 games already this season due to injuries and a one-game suspension for an incident with coach Tuomas Iisalo. A combination of injuries and suspensions — Morant comes with a lot of baggage — have kept him from playing in more than 65 games in any of the last seven seasons.
More concerning, when he has played this season, he has not looked as explosive as he once did when he was an All-Star and one of the most dynamic players in the league, scouts have told NBC Sports. Any flashes of that old Morant have been just that, flashes (although his injuries could have something to do with that). This season, he has averaged 19 points a game on 40.1% shooting (20.8% from 3-point range) and is dishing out 7.6 assists a night. He is a drive-and-dish player, not one who has ever spaced the floor with his shooting. And the fact that he is a target on defense is a serious issue in the modern NBA.
The biggest concern for teams may be the money. Morant is making $39.5 million this season, the third year of a five-year, $197 million max contract. He is guaranteed $87.1 million in the two seasons after this one. In the tax apron era, teams know they cannot miss on max contracts, and Morant is not everyone’s flavor of point guard — ball-dominant, someone others have to adjust to play around. Being a player who has to have the ball in his hands can work in today’s NBA if a player is Luka Dončić- or Jalen Brunson-level, but is Morant that player anymore?
How much would a team be willing to give up in a trade to find out? Enough to get a deal done at the deadline? There are teams willing to take a chance on Morant’s potential — a fresh start, get him healthy, and bet he can find his form again — but this is more about teams understanding the risk they are taking on, being willing to take a bit of a flier, not trading for a current star player. The return on that kind of trade may be less than the Grizzlies envision, much as it was with the Hawks when they dealt Young.
Morant joins Anthony Davis as the biggest names available at the trade deadline. Whether either of them finds a new home before Feb. 5 is up for debate, but they will generate a lot of headlines between now and then.
