Did the Philadelphia Phillies make the best decisions with their roster following the trade deadline? One question on the minds of fans in the final two months of the season is, why do the Phillies insist on continuing to play Max Kepler?
The Phillies signed Kepler to an affordable one-year deal this offseason. They are not locked into a contract with him that spans multiple years. So why didn't the organization designate him for assignment following the Harrison Bader trade?
Kepler has not performed better than Johan Rojas, who was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Bader. Rojas needs to continue to improve offensively, but he is a better option than the 32-year-old Kepler at this point.
Phillies fans will regret the club's decision to keep Max Kepler on the roster by October
Kepler's season has gone from average to worse since a strong spring training. He has finished with a batting average below .200 in each of the last three months. Before fans consider any advanced statistics, that stat alone is sufficient evidence to conclude his performance has been disappointing, to say the least. Granted, batting average is one statistic, but he is not a power hitter like Kyle Schwarber, who finished with a .197 average along with an exceptional 47 home runs, 104 RBIs, and a solid .817 OPS in 2023.
Nevertheless, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and manager Rob Thomson continue to trust Kepler.
"[Kepler's] playing left field for us at this time," Dombrowski said after the trade deadline, per Phillies Nation's Ty Daubert. "He's actually been swinging the bat a little bit better, particularly versus right-handed pitching. But he's part of our roster at this time."
Dave Dombrowski on Max Kepler after trading for Harrison Bader:
— Ty Daubert (@TyDaubert) July 31, 2025
"He's playing left field for us at this time. He's actually been swinging the bat a little bit better, particularly versus right-handed pitching. But he's part of our roster at this time."
Add Kepler to the list of players the Phillies have attempted to fill their void in the outfield over the past few years. Nick Castellanos is their only option that can fill the role of a full-time outfielder. Brandon Marsh is not always reliable enough to be an everyday player, but they have to use him since their other outfielders are worse.
How much confidence should fans have in Bader, especially if he is not played every day? Utility player Weston Wilson is at best a bench player, and youngster Otto Kemp is still adjusting to the majors after being promoted earlier this season, while also playing in the infield.
The club decided not to trade No. 3 prospect Justin Crawford at the deadline. His performance all year in Triple-A has shown he is ready to make his MLB debut. Rather, the team is, for now, electing to play the experienced Kepler over younger options in Crawford and Rojas. Why?
According to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Noah Levick, Thomson expressed confidence in Kepler despite not playing well.
“(Kepler) is swinging the bat good, man,” Thomson said per Levick. “There’s not much to show for it, but he’s barreling a lot of balls up. And he’s playing really good defense.”
Phillies' outfield continues to be a problem
Philadelphia's outfield issues are nothing new. They have had a carousel of mainly subpar options, aside from Castellanos, across the three positions for the past two seasons. Bryce Harper transitioned from right field to first base two seasons ago after undergoing Tommy John surgery following the 2022 season. Schwarber, while not the best outfield option in terms of speed, has not played left field regularly for the team since 2023, as he has been their primary designated hitter. The club has felt their absences in the outfield since.
The fan base is justified in being skeptical of Thomson's playing time decisions in the outfield, based on what he has done in previous years. The front office is also at fault for the state of the position group based on whom they have signed or traded for as a whole over the last couple of seasons. The outfield is now the weakest spot on the team following Jhoan Duran's addition to the bullpen.
Being a playoff contender with World Series aspirations, as the Phillies are, is not a good enough reason to exclusively play veteran players, especially when they are underperforming. Perhaps the organization will pivot from its initial decision, and Kepler will no longer be on the roster by October if he has not improved.
Fans better hope that is what transpires, considering how his season has plummeted. It will be a bad decision by the franchise if Kepler makes the roster for their Wild Card or Divisional round matchups unless he has a miraculous turnaround in what has been a disappointing year.