Max Kepler’s one year-long tenure with the Philadelphia Phillies was nothing more than a disappointment. After a promising start to last season, Kepler’s batting numbers fell off so far that most fans were calling for the typically reliable veteran’s release.
From May to July, the left fielder put up a sub-.200 batting average, sinking his avg. for the season to .200 flat after the first series in August.
Kepler had by far his best month of the season after that series, hitting .273 with a handful of RBIs and respectable metrics all around. Not great, but not mid-season release worthy either.
Most fans chalked it up to a veteran figuring out a problem, and maybe coming back to life. Nobody expected, or maybe even thought to consider the possibility he may have had some extra help.
On Jan. 9, Kepler was handed an 80-game suspension for using Epitrenbolone, a prohibited performance-enhancing drug (PED). Many were shocked at this news revelation as Kepler had struggled to get going all season. Even after his August jump, he fell to a .228 average in September, begging the question of whether or not his steroid usage really benefited him all that much?
This is a question which has plagued MLB fans for years, and less than two weeks later, a controversial MLB Hall of Fame class was released. Controversial because of the names left out, including 14-time All-Star and three-time MVP Alex Rodriguez.
The reasoning behind his absence in the HOF has been well documented over the last two decades, as it stems from admitted PED use from 2001-2003. Additionally, Rodriguez isn’t even the most noteworthy 14-time All-Star missing from Cooperstown left out, as former left fielder Barry Bonds has also been kept out of the HOF due to steroid usage.
The problem with both of these absences, and others such as legendary pitcher Roger Clemens, stems from the misconception that steroids are an automatic GOATification option and that players weren’t HOF worthy before using.
In Kepler’s case, using steroids failed to get him even close to his career high totals in most metrics, including home runs (twice as many in 2019) and batting average (44 points higher in 2023). Kepler also struggled in the outfield and became a defensive liability, which may be attributed to a heavier mass with the muscle gain from PEDs.
On the other hand, Bonds and Rodriguez had some of their best seasons before ever coming into contact with steroids. Bonds earned three MVPs and finished runner up once years before he is believed to have begun taking steroids; after the 1998 season.
Rodriguez had an MVP runner-up, four All-Stars, and four Silver Sluggers in his five full seasons with Seattle before beginning to use in 2001 with the Texas Rangers.
Both Bonds and Rodriguez also led the league in stats such as wins above replacement, hits, batting average and runs batted in in their confirmed years pre-steroids. Interestingly enough, Bonds especially sees a major decrease in defensive production after beginning his usage.
After being awarded eight gold gloves in his nine seasons leading up to 1999, Bonds failed to even earn one in the nine years that followed. Bonds’ stolen base totals also plummeted while using steroids, going from 38 per 162 games all the way down to 10 in the same 162-game average.
It is also important to note that steroids don’t affect plate discipline, where Bonds shined the most. Bonds led the league in walks five times and intentional walks for six consecutive seasons before 1999, making him one of the most feared hitters of all time even before steroids.
Max Kepler’s lack of real production while using steroids goes to show that the drug itself isn’t what makes a player great while using them.
The players who are deemed not worthy of the HOF because of steroid usage almost always have proven track records before their years on PEDs. It is necessary for the misconception that steroids are an automatic career fixer to be thrown away, and for players like Bonds, Rodriguez and more to have their HOF cases revisited.
