PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies are getting a new corner outfielder.

Multiple sources told MLB.com on Thursday night that the Phillies and longtime Twins outfielder Max Kepler have agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract pending a physical. The club has not confirmed an agreement.

The 31-year-old Kepler is looking to recover from an injury-plagued 2024, which included patellar tendinopathy in his left knee and a hip problem. In his final season with the Twins, he posted a .682 OPS in 399 plate appearances.

But when Kepler was healthy, he was productive. From 2019 to 2023 with Minnesota, he posted an OPS of .770 and an OPS+ of 110. He slashed .260/.332/.484 with 24 home runs, 66 RBIs, an .816 OPS and a 120 OPS+ in 491 plate appearances year 2023. In 2019, he had a career-high 36 home runs and 90 RBIs.

The Phillies have been looking for help in the outfield since the end of the season, especially after not offering Austin Hays in November. They also tried to give the lineup a different look.

Much has been said about the Phillies lineups’ propensity to chase balls out of the strike zone and swing and miss. Kepler doesn’t hunt. From 2019 to 2023, he ranks 38th out of 202 players with a tracking rate of 25.2 percent.

Kepler could play in left field with Nick Castellanos in right field and a combination of Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas in center field. But Kepler was one of baseball’s best defenders in right field, so perhaps he stays there and Castellanos moves to left, which was the plan when the Phils signed Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber in 2022.

From 2016 to 2024, Kepler ranked first in baseball among right fielders with 57 outs above average. According to FanGraphs, he ranks fourth in Defensive Runs Saved.

This is the second free agent the Phillies have signed to a major league contract this offseason. Both are one-year contracts. The Phillies signed right-hander Jordan Romano to a one-year, $8.5 million contract on December 9th.
Like Kepler, Romano wants to bounce back from his injuries in 2024.

The Romano and Kepler deals show that the Phillies are paying close attention to their 2025 payroll. Before the Kepler deal, FanGraphs projected the Phillies’ payroll next year would be $289 million, putting them $281 million above the third luxury tax threshold.

The third tax imposes a 92.5 percent penalty on every dollar spent over $281 million.

Kepler’s deal puts the Phillies close to the fourth luxury tax threshold of $301 million. Every dollar spent over $301 million is taxed at a 110 percent rate.

It remains to be seen how else the Phillies might try to improve their roster before spring training begins in February in Clearwater, Florida. Alec Bohm has been mentioned repeatedly in trade rumors, although the Phillies insist they are not shopping him. They could use another late-inning reliever, although president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said at the Winter Meetings last week that they are happy with the bullpen.

The Phils could use a No. 5 starter, although such pitchers typically don’t sign until later in the offseason.

Kepler has spent his entire 10-year career with the Twins. Signed as an international free agent from Berlin, Germany in 2009, he started eight consecutive Opening Days in right field for Minnesota, passing Tony Oliva for the most in club history. His 1,072 games played are the fourth-most among outfielders in Twins history, behind only Hall of Famers Kirby Puckett, Torii Hunter and Oliva.

“I don’t think I could have done much more as a kid from Berlin,” Kepler said in September. “And I’m not trying to prove it to anyone. This proves to myself what I could have done. I’m really happy, and yes, I wish I could do a little more here now, but it is what it is.”