The Philadelphia Phillies have established themselves as one of the premier teams in baseball during the 2025 MLB season. With a 37-24 record through 61 games, Rob Thomson’s squad trails the rival New York Mets by just 1.5 games for both the NL East crown and the top spot in the National League.
Despite the strong overall performance, the Phillies’ record could be even better if a few players were living up to expectations. Some of the team’s veterans have underwhelmed, and one outfielder in particular appears to be on thin ice.
Max Kepler’s Struggles Put Phillies in a Tough Spot
Among the Phillies’ offseason signings was outfielder Max Kepler, who joined on a one-year, $10 million deal after a decade with the Minnesota Twins. The move was seen as a low-risk opportunity for Kepler to bounce back following a disappointing 2024 season.
The contract could’ve turned out to be a steal if Kepler had returned to his 2019 form, when he smashed 36 home runs and drove in 90 runs, earning a 20th-place finish in AL MVP voting. Early on, it looked like that version of Kepler might have returned — he hit .264/.345/.472 with five homers, 10 RBIs, and 12 walks over his first 30 games (106 at-bats).
But since May 4, his production has plummeted. Over his last 25 games (77 at-bats), Kepler has managed just one home run, 11 RBIs, and nine walks, while hitting only .156 with a .518 OPS. He’s gone hitless in 14 of those games — more than half of them — which is far from what the Phillies hoped for from the 6-foot-4 veteran.
Kepler’s decline is even more glaring considering that fellow outfielders Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas have also had their offensive ups and downs — yet both are earning less than $4 million combined, significantly cheaper than Kepler.
While Kepler has had a few bright moments, his impact on the team’s success has been minimal. If he can’t turn things around soon — both at the plate and defensively — the Phillies may need to explore trade options and see if another team is still willing to bet on his upside.