Max Kepler hits first homer since return

Kepler started the first two games after being activated from the restricted list, but he’ll take a seat against Rays’ right-hander Drew Rasmussen on Sunday. The 33-year-old is hitless in his first five at-bats for the Diamondbacks with one strikeout. Ketel Marte will function as the team’s designated hitter on Sunday with Ildemaro Vargas drawing a start at second base and batting eighth.

The 33-year-old outfielder has finished serving his 80-game PED suspension and will be active and in uniform for the Diamondbacks on Thursday evening against the Cardinals in St. Louis. He should see fairly regular action against right-handed pitching if he proves that he’s able to hold his own after the long layoff.

Kepler will have a chance to make his debut for the Diamondbacks after being suspended for the first 80 games of the campaign for violating MLB’s drug policy. The 33-year-old will likely get time in the corner outfield against right-hand pitching, but it’d be fair to say that a wait-and-see approach is appropriate in terms of a potential add to a fantasy roster. Tim Tawa will be optioned to Reno to make room for Kepler.

Kepler was suspended for 80 games in January, but now can begin play in Triple-A. The Diamondbacks have played 73 games thus far, so Kepler could be an option against right-handed pitching at some point next week.

Kepler is still serving an 80-game PED suspension announced in January, so he goes on the restricted list for now. The Diamondbacks will have him go on a rehab assignment in the minors and then decide whether they want him to be a part of their outfield. With Jordan Lawlar and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. getting healthy and Ryan Waldschmidt and Tommy Troy still candidates to step up, ideally, they wouldn’t need Kepler at all. But, then, if they thought that would be the case, they probably wouldn’t have made the signing. Kepler hit .216/.300/.391 in 127 games for the Phillies last season, and if he was cheating then, it didn’t seem to do him much good. He doesn’t offer as much defensive value as he used to, either. Maybe he’ll surprise, but he seems like a weak platoon option at the moment.

The substance that Kepler tested positive for is Epitrenbolone, using which violates Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The 32-year-old free agent outfielder will need to find a team willing to sign him first before he’s able to even begin serving that suspension. After a miserable season with the Phillies, that looks like a tall task at the moment.

Turner returns as Philadelphia’s top-of-the-order table-setter to kick off the postseason after missing a significant portion of September recovering from a hamstring strain. The 32-year-old power/speed combo fantasy star played five innings during last Sunday’s regular-season finale. Here’s the full lineup that will square off against Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in his first career postseason start at Citizens Bank Park: Turner (SS), Kyle Schwarber (DH), Bryce Harper (1B), Alec Bohm (3B), Brandon Marsh (LF), J.T. Realmuto (C), Max Kepler (RF), Harrison Bader (CF) and Bryson Stott (2B).

Kepler returns to left field and is batting seventh against his former club to close out the regular season after missing two consecutive games due to an unspecified illness. The 32-year-old figures to play regularly against right-handed pitching during Philadelphia’s forthcoming playoff run.

Kepler will sit out his second straight contest as the Phillies roll with Nick Castellanos in right field.

Kepler was pulled from Thursday’s game as he was feeling a bit under the weather and now the Phillies will hold him out of action on Friday night against his former club as he’s still not feeling his best. Nick Castellanos will start in his place in right field and will bat seventh for the Phillies against Joe Ryan and the Twins.