The Philadelphia Phillies are approaching Opening Day and the race against the clock is intensifying for players dealing with injuries toward the end of Spring Training. The Phillies have been relatively healthy throughout camp but they got a double dose of injuries when Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler left Saturday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.
Marsh is expected to be fine and return to the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. But while Kepler had appeared to avoid a serious injury, his status became murkier as he ran through injuries on Monday.
Max Kepler’s Injury Status Remains Unclear After Leaving Game Saturday
According to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, Kepler’s timetable is to be determined as he recovers from a bruised lower back. The free-agent acquisition sustained the injury when he crashed into the left field wall making a catch in Saturday’s draw with the Tigers and likened the injury to a bruise when talking to reporters on Saturday.
“I’m all right,” Kepler told Zolecki on Saturday. “At this point, it’s just a bruise. That’s what it feels like. Kind of like I got hit by a pitch.”
The injury is the first taste of the Max Kepler experience for Phillies fans. The 32-year-old is a career .237/.318/.429 hitter in 10 seasons with the Minnesota Twins and put together a .252/.336/.519 line with 36 home runs and 90 RBI in 2019. But he has failed to capture that form hitting .327/.316/.412 while averaging 14 home runs and 46 RBI over the past five seasons.
The extreme usage of the shift had something to do with his numbers but so did a series of injuries including knee, neck and elbow ailments last season. In most instances, Kepler was originally diagnosed to be out a day or two but the problem turned into a stint on the injured list.
Such a scenario ended Kepler’s 2024 campaign when he was scratched from the lineup for an Aug. 25 against the St. Louis Cardinals. While Kepler appeared in three games over the 11 days before he was placed on the injured list, he was largely off limits when pinch-hitting, pinch-running and defensive replacement situations came up. Kepler was officially placed on the injured list on Sept. 4 and did not play the rest of the season.
Part of the issue was the Twins slew of injuries elsewhere as Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa were both on the shelf. It also could have been organizational malpractice on Minnesota’s part to not put him on the injured list when the injury popped up. But it’s a damning example of how a small thing can turn into a much larger issue with Kepler when he’s dealing with an injury.
Regardless, the Phillies signed Kepler to a one-year, $10 million contract in December to pair with Marsh and Nick Castellanos in the outfield. But if he can’t stay healthy, it could be a one-year experiment. With Kody Clemens and Johan Rojas the other outfielders on the roster, Philadelphia could be short on depth to begin the season and have a long-term concern with Kepler’s health.