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yesterday

Max Kepler Breaks Homer Drought, Calls Phillies’ Boos ‘Love Language’

Kepler’s remarks underscore how he has reframed the boos to embrace a part-time role after enduring a months-long slump

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 5: (L-R) Max Kepler #17 and Brandon Marsh #16 of the Philadelphia Phillies run in from the outfield after winning the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Citizens Bank Park on August 5, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 5-0.
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Overview

  • In Tuesday’s 5-0 victory over the Orioles, Kepler went 2-for-4 with his first home run since June 22 and his first multi-hit game since July 26.
  • He is batting .204/.295/.366 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs, well below the output anticipated from his one-year, $10 million contract.
  • After early-season frustration over limited at-bats, Kepler has accepted a platoon assignment against left-handed pitching and pledged to support the team’s objectives.
  • Philadelphia’s notoriously vocal fan base often boos struggling players as a form of engagement, a dynamic Kepler has now embraced.
  • Despite adding Harrison Bader at the July 31 trade deadline, the Phillies have elected to rotate Bader and Kepler rather than bench the veteran outright.