Max Kepler Claims Phillies Misled Him During Free Agency

Phillies outfielder Max Kepler has gone to the media to air out a beef: He says the the Phils misled him during free agency when they gave him a one-year, $10-million deal to be their everyday left fielder.

“The biggest challenge for me is not playing routinely,” Kepler told Matt Gelb of The Athletic after the Houston Astros finished off a three-game sweep of the Phillies on Thursday. “That’s the biggest challenge. … I was told I was going to be the starting left fielder.”

Kepler has started 60 of the first 81 games but only three times against a left-handed starting pitcher, and, prior to Thursday’s loss, he sat four straight days. For much of the season, he had been platooning in left with Weston Wilson, who recently got demoted. And now he’s caught in a platoon with prospect Otto Kemp, who got called up three weeks ago.

The Phillies had hoped the left-handed-hitting veteran could replicate some solid years he had with the Minnesota Twins, like when he slashed .260/.332/.484 during the 2023 season. So far it hasn’t happened in Philly for Kepler, who’s having the worst year of his 11-year career, slashing .209/.300/.383 in 267 plate appearances.

Kepler’s frustrations could be creeping in play. In his first at-bat Thursday, he slowed up on a grounder and the Astros turned a 4-6-3 double play that he possibly could have beaten out with some hustle.

Then in the bottom of the eighth, Kepler botched a shot to throw out the eventual winning run at home plate after double-clutching the ball hit his way; here’s a look at that miscue:

With Kepler publicly calling out his bosses, it would not be a shocker if he endures the same fate as Whit Merrifield, a veteran who was also inked to a one-year deal before the Phillies cut him loose mid-July last season.

Kepler’s in-house replacement would be Justin Crawford, the 21-year-old outfield prospect who is slashing .332/.408/.435 with 26 steals at Triple A. The knock against Crawford is that he hit too many ground balls, but that’s possibly an overblown criticism considering Crawford’s superior on-base skills and 75-grade speed.

The Phils’ other option would be pulling off a trade to replace him as the deadline approaches. Rumored options include: Luis Robert (White Sox), Jarren Duran (Red Sox), Cedric Mullins (Orioles) and Taylor Ward (Angels).

But before buying into that Kepler is good as gone, he probably has at least two or three weeks to salvage his season and prove he is the Phillies’ everyday left fielder.