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Phillies Could Cut Ties With Max Kepler in Favor of .337 Average Top Prospect

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 1:40 PM ET

The MLB trade deadline is an important time for the Philadelphia Phillies. With the Phillies atop the NL East and having one of the better rotations in baseball, adding more help in some capacity to the bullpen and the outfield is paramount.

While there aren't many great outfield trade options, the Phillies could make an internal move, which could bolster the outfield while also moving on from a struggling veteran.

Matt Gelb of The Athletic proposed a scenario where the Phillies, instead of trying to land a star from another team in the outfield, could look to call up top prospect Justin Crawford to the Majors. To bring Crawford up, the Phillies would have to move on from one of their outfielders.

"It's the time of year when just about everything is on the table," Gelb writes, "That, according to Major-League sources, includes the Phillies dealign from their current outfield. The idea would be to open a spot for Justin Crawford, one of the club's top prospects, who has hit .339 at Triple-A while wielding his game-changing speed."

Of the outfielders the Phillies would be most likely to move on from, it'd have to be either Brandon Marsh or Max Kepler. Both have had their struggles this season, and could be the player the Phillies cut ties with in favor of Crawford.

However, of the two, Kepler is the most likely candidate to be moved on from. Marsh has trade value and could help net something in return. But, he is under control through 2027, the Phillies superficial window of contention.

Kepler, on the other hand, is on a one-year deal, and while he wouldn't net much in a trade, the Phillies could still cut ties with him. He complained to the media about his playing time, and hasn't performed well this season.

For the Phillies and Kepler, Gelb states that "It would be easier to cut ties with him." Marsh has more control, is younger, and recently, has hit .315 since May first, a solid number that's perfectly okay to work with.

Crawford has incredible speed, has impressed in the minors, and could be a 'trade deadline pickup' for the Phillies this season. If he can bring his .337 batting average and .853 OPS to the Majors, then the Phillies would have a captivating youngster in the lineup for a postseason run.

Kepler is hitting .213, and while he has 10 home runs, his .685 OPS is below Marsh's .719 on the year. It should be an easy decision between the two as to who the Phillies move on from to make room for Crawford.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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