Jun 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler (17) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Struggling Phillies Slugger Finally Breaks Through With Massive, Clutch Hit

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Jacob Moss | Last updated Jun 15, 2025 8:00 AM ET

When the Philadelphia Phillies signed veteran slugger Max Kepler to a one-year deal this past offseason, they did so in hopes that he could provide an extra boost to their already stout lineup.

A stellar performance in spring training only raised expectations further for Kepler, but whatever high hopes the Phillies had were quickly dashed as the veteran got off to a horrid start at the plate in April.

Things only got worse in May, as Kepler slashed just .188/.275/.375 across 92 trips to the dish during the entire month.

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Despite this rough stretch with the bat in his hands though, Kepler hasn't given up.

As May turned to June, he was clearly still working through some struggles, but things appeared to finally be shifting in his favor on both offense and defense.

The 32-year-old made one of the best catches of the season far on Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays and followed that up on Saturday with probably his biggest hit in a Philadelphia jersey.

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With the game all knotted up at two apiece in the bottom of the eighth, Kepler stepped up and crushed a go-ahead homer that would end up securing the Phillies their third consecutive win.

The @Phillies have the lead!

Max Kepler's solo shot puts Philly in front in the 8th pic.twitter.com/10twLGSSID
— MLB (@MLB) June 14, 2025

Any time a player goes through the type of slump Kepler has endured, it can tend to mess with the mental aspect of the game. According to MLB.com's Paul Casella, Kepler certainly dealt with his fair share of doubts over the past two months.

“Baseball comes with a lot of doubt; it's a mental game,” Kepler said. “You fail, as you know, a majority of the time. So if you tend to overthink, like me, it can sometimes spiral a little bit, and you can find a dark place.”

After struggling so much over the first couple months of the season, coming through like this certainly served to lift some massive weight off of his shoulders. But that doesn't mean he's letting himself get too hyped up over the moment.

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‘It's definitely a high,” he said. “But I kind of have to put it behind me and just be ready for tomorrow. The highs and lows are going to come, so it's about finding that balance, that even-keel wave, and hopefully, riding it as long as you can.”

Only time will tell if this truly is the spark that turns Kepler's season around, but in the mean time, all he can do is continue showing up every day and putting his best foot forward.

If he has finally turned the corner, then Philadelphia will become that much more dangerous as a result.

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This article first appeared on Philadelphia Phillies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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