At the end of the day, most Twins fans probably have fond memories of Max Kepler, who signed with the organization as a 16-year-old from Germany in 2009. In 10 seasons with Minnesota (2015-24), Kepler accumulated 18.6 fWAR with a .237/.318/.429 (102 wRC+) slash line, 161 home runs, 205 doubles and 508 RBI. He played a key role in the Twins' "Bomba Squad" that set a then-MLB single-season record with 307 home runs, as Kepler hit 36 of them.
Kepler's has had a bit of a roller coaster after 2019. He performed well in the COVID-19-shortened season and hit below league average in 2021 and 2022 before a strong 2023 season in which he posted 2.7 fWAR and a 122 wRC+. Unfortunately, he had the worst season of his Twins career in 2024, as he posted just 1.0 fWAR and a 93 wRC+, prompting Minnesota to let the outfielder walk in free agency.
Once one of the better defensive outfielders in baseball, Kepler is now a roughly average corner outfielder who no longer plays center field, which he did frequently with the Twins when Byron Buxton was on the IL. He spent last season with the Philadelphia Phillies, posting 0.6 fWAR and a 90 wRC+ in 127 games. Philadelphia often sat Kepler against southpaws, which Kepler made it clear he was not happy about .
More drama followed Kepler in the offseason, as the former Twins fan favorite tested positive for Epitrenbolone , a performance-enhancing substance, in January. MLB suspended the outfielder for 80 games.
Kepler signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 7 and joined the club on June 25 after serving his suspension and a rehab assignment. It's worth noting that as part of his suspension, Kepler is ineligible to participate in the postseason.
Kepler had a rough start to his Diamondbacks career, collecting just two hits in his first 19 at-bats. But since then, he's been swinging the bat really well .
Since July 6, Kepler has slashed .278/.349/.500 (126 wRC+) with two home runs, two doubles and 12 RBI in 43 plate appearances. During Kepler's recent hot stretch, the Diamondbacks have won 10 of 14 games.
Kepler may not be eligible to play in the playoffs, but he's helping Arizona remain in the postseason race. Before Kepler's strong stretch, which played a big part in the Diamondbacks' winning streak, Arizona trailed the final National League Wild Card spot by four games with a 44-45 record. Now, the club owns that final Wild Card position with a 54-49 record.
This article was originally published on www.puckettspond.com as Former Twins fan favorite is quietly catching fire in new home .
