Max Kepler reflects on year in Philly as he waits for Red October: ‘I have enjoyed it immensely’

PHILADELPHIA — Max Kepler remembers the date: Oct. 1, 2024. He was in Philadelphia to undergo core surgery with Dr. William Meyers. The injury, a partially detached abdominal muscle, cost Kepler the final few weeks of his ninth season with the Minnesota Twins.

Kepler and his mother Kathy lingered for a few days in a Navy Yard hotel as Kepler recovered from the procedure.

“I was in a pretty medicated state,” Kepler said.

But his hotel had a view of Citizens Bank Park as the Phillies took on the New York Mets in the NLDS. Kathy was tempted to go to the game with her son. Kepler, who probably would’ve had to be pushed around in a wheelchair to navigate the concourses, was not up to it. He followed along with the action from his hotel room.

Months later, he signed a one-year deal with the Phillies. He’s now gearing up for a postseason run with a different view.

“Definitely weird how the universe aligns things,” Kepler said.

The 32-year-old native of Berlin, Germany has enjoyed his one-year stop in Philadelphia — “immensely,” he said. Unlike many players who retreat to the cozy suburbs in South Jersey, Kepler chose to live in Center City Philadelphia. His only gripe? It’s a little hard to sleep in on some days after a long night at the ballpark.

“Maybe it is a little bit too loud sometimes,” Kepler said. 

But he has come to appreciate Philly for its food culture and walkability relative to other American cities. He has checked out Borromini, the new Italian restaurant inside the old Barnes & Noble on Rittenhouse Square. He likes the city’s selection of kebabs and Turkish food. Thai spot Kalaya in Fishtown is one of his favorite spots in the city. 

“The vibrancy, people hustling and bustling on the daily, that’s what I grew up in,” Kepler said. “I thrive in that. That’s why I chose to live downtown.” 

Taking a step back from it all, it’s quite surprising that Kepler is here for Red October.

The Phillies outfielder struggled mightily at the plate from May through July. His OPS dipped to as low as .645 with a batting average hovering around .200. There were loud calls for the Phillies to designate him for assignment and replace him with top outfield prospect Justin Crawford. The Phillies were thinking about Crawford’s big-league readiness as early as June, when Dombrowski took a trip to visit the minor league affiliates while the team was on the road in Toronto and Pittsburgh. 

“I would have felt very comfortable if Justin Crawford had come up at some point,” Dombrowski said on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies thought about it, but they decided to retain Kepler and let things play out.

They prioritized acquiring a right-handed hitting outfielder at the trade deadline. It turned out to be Harrison Bader. The Phillies decided to keep Kepler, reduce his playing time and have him be a part of an outfield rotation/platoon.

Why did the Phillies keep Kepler when many thought the obvious call was to send him packing?

“He’s a good defensive outfielder,” Dombrowski said during the Phillies’ most recent road trip. “He’s a sound player in that regard. He also doesn’t chase at the plate, he doesn’t strike out a lot. … And he’s got tremendous power, so you figure overall that as you start continuing to play that you generally reach a level that you are accustomed to playing. So we thought that he would do that.”

There was outrage the day after the trade deadline when Kepler was in the starting lineup over the new acquisition Bader. In late July and early August, Phillies fans booed him every time he swung and missed at a pitch. That all stopped when Kepler started hitting.

For Kepler, is there satisfaction in overcoming not only the struggles but the strong negative reactions he was on the other end of?

“No. It’s part of it,” Kepler told Phillies Nation. “I’ve been booed plenty of times in my career before. I’ve been cheered for. I think when it comes to the things I’ve overcome, there’s a lot greater things that I’ve overcome in my career in baseball. The booing and the cheering, it’s part of the game. It’s what we sign up for. (The fans) have all the right to express their emotions and their joy and their frustration. They have every right to do that.

“For me, I thank them once again for just showing up.”

Kepler, since the beginning of August, has rewarded the Phillies for their patience. From Aug. 5 to Sept. 12, Kepler batted .325 with a .962 OPS. He went through another cold streak at the start of the last road series, but homered against left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera in the final game of the regular season against his former club. 

He finished the season with the third-highest home run total among Phillies players with 18, behind Kyle Schwarber (56) and Bryce Harper (27).

It was a good sign for Kepler to know that his swing is in a good place after dealing with a nasty stomach bug that has been going around the Phillies clubhouse.

“It wasn’t the worst timing, obviously,” Kepler said about getting sick. “Physically, mentally, I feel like I’m in a good place.”

Kepler on Tuesday during a team workout at Citizens Bank Park took batting practice off a machine that simulated both right-handed and left-handed arm slots. He will likely be the Phillies’ starting right fielder when the club faces a right-handed starting pitcher. It could be as early as Game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers.

Shohei Ohtani is lined up to start Game 1 if he is not needed to start a winner-take-all Game 3 in the Wild Card round against the Reds. Kepler’s looks could be more limited if the Phillies face Cincinnati in the DS, as the Reds have left-handed starters Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo.

With Johan Rojas unavailable for the Division Series due to a quad injury, the Phillies could opt to have Kepler face left-handed relievers late in games if the team is ahead and would like to keep him in right field for defensive purposes.

Kepler’s comfort in his natural position, along with his offensive turnaround and Nick Castellanos’ struggles both at the plate and in the outfield, have led the Phillies to a Kepler/Castellanos platoon in right field. 

The arrangement gives Kepler an opportunity to make an impact at the most important time of the year. 

“I’m very excited and I almost wish it came a little sooner,” Kepler said about the start of the postseason. “I can’t wait to see this place packed. I think that’s the main thing I’m going to try to focus on is to just stay calm and relaxed, focus on my breathing when the atmosphere is going to be rocking.”