Sep 10, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler (17) hits a two RBI single against the New York Mets during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Shortly after the All-Star break, Rob Thomson sat down with Max Kepler to give him some words of encouragement.
Kepler had a terrible first half of the season with the Phillies and it wasn't looking much better in July.
But the manager wanted Kepler to know that no matter what he was hearing out there - and there were a lot of calls for the Phillies to get rid of him, including on this web site - that the Phillies still believed in him.
Rob Thomson, on staying patient during Max Kepler’s early-season struggles:
“You have to really believe in the back of a guy’s baseball card, and that it’s gonna happen at some point.”
(via @GraceDelPizzo) pic.twitter.com/qeq9r8Jg2u
"You have to really believe in the back of a guy's baseball card," Thomson said. "It's going to happen at some point. I (told Kepler), 'You're in a good spot. We believe in you. You're going to have a real good second half. Just keep grinding. Keep working. It's going to be fine."
For the past 20 games, including Wednesday, it's been more than fine.
On Wednesday Kepler had three hits, including a homer and drove in five runs - his most RBIs in a game since 2016 - and the Phillies trounced the Mets 11-3, giving then a 10-game lead in the N.L. East.
They reduced their magic number to clinch a playoff spot to five, to clinch the division to seven and to clinch a bye to 13. They also got back within 2 1/2 games of the Milwaukee Brewers for the No. 1 seed and the best record in baseball.
Going 25-13 since the trade deadline will do that.
In his last 20 games, Kepler is slashing .307/.362/.560 for an OPS of .922 with four doubles, five homers and 16 RBIs.
Max Kepler to @AntSanPhilly on what’s changed for him recently:
“I am more aware and conscious of the pattern that I’m now being played in.” pic.twitter.com/qiC2Kpe9Sf
"I am more aware and conscious of the pattern that I am now being played in," Kepler said. "I feel like I found a routine that lets me lock in when I'm off. Yesterday, for example, I was in the cage doing work that I normally wouldn't be doing - just to keep me locked in and honed in on seeing a baseball visually like you would see in a game and that just helps me be ready for the game when I am actually playing."
Kepler is getting the brunt of the time in right field against righties, platooning with Nick Castellanos, who is starting against lefties.
But when he's had his chances against lefties lately, he's also had a modicum of success. Against Gregory Soto on Wednesday, he singled home a pair of runs and to celebrate, broke his bat over his thigh.
Max Kepler DID break his bat tonight, but he told @destiny_lugardo he’s not a “hardo.”
Apparently, it just feels good “to smash one over your leg from time to time.”
(via @AntSanPhilly) pic.twitter.com/nCFg8v7G8H
"That was a hard-o moment," Kepler said. "I've never personally broken a bat that is unbroken. It's just the ones that kind of have a crack. It's just a good feeling to smash one over your leg from time to time. But that's definitely not me. I'm not a hard-o. It was just in the moment. I wanted to let that out and smash my bat over my quad. I've done it once before, also on a hit.
"I don't know what got into me there. It's a hard-o moment."
Channeling his inner Bo Jackson, eh?
"Yeah, over his head, right," Kepler asked. "He's a different animal than I am."
Whatever kind of animal he is, the version of Kepler the Phillies have gotten in the past month is far better than the version they had over the first four.
No matter, because this is the time of year - September and October - that matters most, and it took Kepler longer than it should have to get here, but this is the guy the Phillies thought they were signing when they inked him to a one-year, $10 million contract.
"Earlier on I was trying to prove myself and played the game more as an individual than for the team," Kepler said. "Not in a selfish way, but as a new guy in a new organization, I was just trying to do more than I was used to doing in my controlled setting."
Kepler said once the Phillies got through the trade deadline - and he had that sit-down with Thomson, he could "breathe a sigh of relief" knowing he was going to have an important role on the Phillies drive to win a championship, and he has embraced it - as has the rest of the outfield.
After the trade deadline, Max Kepler said the Phillies’ sentiment was, “okay, now we’re here. This is who we have for the long run.”
That allowed Kepler to fully settle in, and to buy in.
(via @AntSanPhilly) pic.twitter.com/D85UGA7VUp
Since the trade deadline, Phillies outfielders are slashing .288/.340/.485 for an .825 OPS with 27 doubles, 18 homers and 58 RBIs in 38 games. It's working.
"Everyone's on board with the same goal and everyone is moving at the same pace - even if you are not playing and are on the bench," Kepler said. "People are contributing - even if it's cheering the guy in the box or out in the field. There's a feeling of everyone having each other's backs, whether you're playing or not."
It's a great formula. Now they just need to sustain it.
