Max Kepler is trending in a familiar direction.
In 2023, the Philadelphia Phillies’ offseason stopgap signing lasted until July 30. Josh Harrison wasn’t meant to be more than a utility bench bat, but his .554 OPS didn’t do him any favors. In 2024, the Phillies’ offseason stopgap signing played his last game on July 10. Whit Merrifield wasn’t any worse than Harrison, but his $8 million contract ultimately brought his .572 OPS under more scrutiny. In 2025, Kepler’s $10 million contract has not done him any favors in the eyes of the Philadelphia fan.
Sporting a .683 OPS at the season’s midpoint, Kepler is performing well under expectations. Nevertheless, he’s brought far more value to the table than either of his predecessors. At the bare minimum, he is not a negative value, though his triple-clutch in left field Thursday against the Houston Astros might make it seem otherwise.
The biggest problem with Kepler right now may be inside the clubhouse, rather than on the field. Following the Phillies’ loss to the Astros, the Berlin-born outfielder made his feelings clear on the way he’s been managed throughout the season.
“I was told I was going to be the starting left fielder,” Kepler said in an article by Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
“The biggest challenge for me is not playing routinely,” he continued. “That’s the biggest challenge.”
Kepler’s Struggles
Kepler’s .209 batting average and OPS well below league average make his comments seem somewhat conceited, but he’s not wrong to be upset. Since April 2, he’s been in the starting lineup against only one left-handed pitcher. And while his paltry .621 OPS against southpaws is cause for concern, there’s reason to believe Kepler is getting at least a little unlucky.
Throughout his career, the 11-year veteran has run a particularly low BAbip of .256 since 2015. This year, sporting the second-highest average exit velocity of his career, Kepler is running a .233 BAbip. Furthermore, his expected stats (while still league-average) are better than the numbers he has put up through half of 2025 so far. Baseball Savant projects his SLG at .418 and his wOBA at .324. You don’t have to know what the latter statistic means to understand that an actual .383 SLG and .302 wOBA mean Kepler’s batted ball luck has been bad.
Right now, he’s on a 0-for-13 skid that’s damaged the stats on the back of his baseball card. Kepler probably won’t be starting against lefties anytime soon, despite his comments, and as the deadline approaches, the Phillies will likely look to improve in left field.
That doesn’t mean Kepler will go the same way as Harrison or Merrifield. In a worst-case scenario for the Phillies $10 million man, he would at the very least be effective as a power bat off the bench in the postseason.
It’s far more likely, though, that the Phillies will search for a proper platoon partner for Kepler. Weston Wilson never cut it in the major leagues, and neither Edmundo Sosa nor Otto Kemp seems entirely comfortable in the outfield.
Kepler’s future will become clearer as the trade deadline approaches, but if he’s unhappy being used as a platoon bat, he’s unlikely to be pleased with the Phillies’ decision-making any time soon.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
