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Max Kepler Has Turned Around His 2025 Season
By Luke Arcaini
Published:
Two months ago, it seemed like Max Kepler wouldn’t have a spot on this Phillies team come October.
The offseason addition was a dud for the first few months of 2025. He wasn’t hitting to his standard, and it wasn’t going over well across the fanbase.
We know Philadelphia fans. If you don’t play up to standard, you’ll hear it. Kepler was potentially on the verge of getting designated for assignment around the trade deadline. Harrison Bader was brought in as another outfielder. Justin Crawford was a potential call-up. But the Phillies stuck with Kepler, the biggest power threat in the outfield, and it’s paying off.
Kepler had a .789 OPS in August, the month where he really started to turn it on. From April to July, he didn’t have a single month with an OPS over .676. He’s hitting .320/.419/.600 with a 1.019 OPS in 23 September ABs. Kepler has bought into his role, and he said that’s been the biggest difference in his game.
“I am more aware and conscious of the pattern that I am now being played in,” Kepler said to Anthony SanFilippo of On Pattison. “I feel like I found a routine that lets me lock in when I’m off. (Tuesday), for example, I was in the cage doing work that I normally wouldn’t be doing – just to keep me locked in and honed in on seeing a baseball visually like you would see in a game and that just helps me be ready for the game when I am actually playing.”
“The group of guys we have in here is one of the most fun groups I’ve had in my career,” Kepler told reporters postgame.
Rob Thomson has backed Kepler all year. Maybe he backed him too much during the bad times, but that’s what the Phillies manager does. He has his players’ backs, and everybody in the clubhouse respects their skipper for that.
“You have to really believe in the back of a guy’s baseball card and that it’s going to happen at some point,” Thomson said to reporters following Wednesday night’s win. “And I talked to Kepler right after the second half started. I said, ‘you’re in a good spot. We believe in you. You’re going to have a really good second half. Just keep grinding, keep working. It’s going to be fine.’ And, fortunately, he’s swinging the bat well and playing well.”
The Phillies have committed to a platoon since the trade deadline. Weston Wilson in left field against lefties, Brandon Marsh in left field against righties. Max Kepler in right field against righties, and Nick Castellanos in right field against lefties. Harrison Bader has run away with the everyday centerfield job, hitting over .350 since joining the Phillies.
The platoon has worked. It’s worked because all five outfielders have committed to their role and have bought in. Yes, everybody wants to play every day. But those five guys know what the team is doing right now is working, and there’s no reason to change it.
The only goal is a World Series, and the Phillies have the look that their goal is obtainable.
“I am more aware and conscious of the pattern that I’m now being played. I feel like a week ago I figured out a routine to help me lock in when I’m off.”
The Phillies could’ve parted ways with Kepler months ago. They didn’t. Dave Dombrowski, Thomson and the team trusted their new teammate to figure things out and buy into his role. It took a little bit, but it’s paying off, and the Phillies are rolling because of contributions from everybody across their outfield, the group that was the weak link of the team two months ago.
They now hold a 10-game lead on the Mets in the NL East. They’ll go for the four-game sweep Thursday night. The Magic Number to clinch the division is 7.
Luke Arcaini writes about the Phillies for Crossing Broad, covers the Phillies for FOX Sports The Gambler, and co-hosts "Phillies Digest" on YouTube. The wave is the worst thing in all of sports. Contact: lukearcaini8@gmail.com