Diamondbacks Release Veteran Outfielder After Rough 41-Game Stint
Debut Delayed Before It Even Started
Kepler's brief tenure in the desert was complicated from the start.
Arizona signed him to a one-year deal on June 7, but he was still serving the back half of an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance at the time, a penalty that kept him off the field until June 25.
That suspension also carries a real consequence beyond the lost time, since it made Kepler ineligible for postseason play even if he'd found his footing.
Max Kepler has been DFA’d by the Diamondbacks, per the team.
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) September 6, 2026
Kepler hit .205 with 2 HR and a .565 OPS in 41 games for Arizona. pic.twitter.com/rcQnw9hVWb
He never really did.
Across 41 games with Arizona, Kepler hit just .205 with a .565 OPS, two home runs, and 15 RBI.
The underlying scouting report made the fit look reasonable on paper, since the Diamondbacks signed him specifically to add left-handed power against right-handed pitching, but his expected weighted on-base average against righties actually ranked third-worst on the entire roster.
He was also mired in a 3-for-21 slump over his final seven games before the DFA became official.
Long Career That's Reached A Crossroads
Kepler, 33, is a 12-year veteran who spent the bulk of his career with the Minnesota Twins from 2015 to 2024, highlighted by a 3.9 fWAR, 36-home run season in 2019 as part of the Twins' record-setting "Bomba Squad" that hit an all-time single-season high of 307 home runs.
He signed with Philadelphia for 2025 and posted an 88 wRC+ with 18 homers, numbers that led him to go unsigned deep into the following offseason before finally landing in Arizona this June.
"80 games ago that's probably a homer."
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 28, 2026
Max Kepler just missed a home run and the Rays announcer brought up how Kepler was suspended 80 games for steroids pic.twitter.com/8TNVrpE9Hc
He's now compiled just 1.0 fWAR across 1,018 combined plate appearances with the Twins, Phillies, and Diamondbacks since 2024, a steep decline from his earlier peak.
Kepler crossed the 10-year MLB service time threshold during his time with Arizona, unlocking full MLBPA veteran benefits and ensuring he'll collect the remainder of his salary regardless.
With his 2026 season now over and no team willing to take a claim on him, the real question becomes whether Kepler pursues a minor league deal, considers playing overseas, or decides his playing career has reached its end.
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