Phillies to Sign Longtime Twins OF Max Kepler to One-Year Deal

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Max Kepler reportedly is on the move.
ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday, citing sources, that the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to sign Kepler to a one-year deal worth $10 million in free agency. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki was first to report the news.
Outfielder Max Kepler and the Philadlephia Philies are in agreement on a one-year, $10 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal, which is pending a physical, will give the Phillies a new corner outfielder in the 31-year-old Kepler. First on the scene: @Feinsand/@ToddZolecki.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 20, 2024
Kepler, 31, has spent his entire professional baseball career with the Minnesota Twins. A native of Berlin, Germany, he signed with the Twins as a 16-year-old in 2009 and debuted six years later in '15.
Over 10 seasons with the Twins, Kepler batted .237/.318/.429 with 205 doubles and 161 homers. He had his best season in 2019, mashing a career-high 36 homers as a key cog in the Twins' lineup that set an MLB single-season record with 307 dingers.
Kepler had a down year at the plate in 2024, batting .253/.302/.380 with just eight homers in 105 games.
Kepler will join the mix of Phillies outfielders in 2025, a group that includes Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas.
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Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.
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