The Philadelphia Phillies have signed Max Kepler to a one-year, $10 million deal, positioning him as their starting left fielder for the 2025 season. The agreement, finalized on Friday, marks the end of Kepler’s decade-long tenure with the Minnesota Twins.

Kepler, 31, played 1,072 games for the Twins, posting a .237 batting average with 161 home runs and 508 RBIs. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski expressed confidence in Kepler’s ability to contribute daily in left field. “We think he can,” Dombrowski stated.

Despite a challenging 2024 season, in which injuries limited him to 105 games, Kepler is expected to rebound. He managed just eight home runs and 42 RBIs last year while dealing with left knee tendinitis and a sports hernia that required offseason core surgery. Dombrowski acknowledged the impact of these setbacks. “Max was very careful. He said, ‘I don’t want to make any excuses,’” Dombrowski explained. “It does affect you. You try to play through it, but it’s not easy.”

Kepler has a promising track record at Citizens Bank Park, where he has hit four home runs and achieved a .955 slugging percentage over just 23 plate appearances. Signed by the Twins as a teenager from Germany, Kepler now brings his international experience and defensive versatility to Philadelphia.

With Kepler in left field, the Phillies will keep Nick Castellanos in right while Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas share center field duties. Dombrowski noted this alignment simplifies things for Castellanos and allows Kepler to transition smoothly.

The Phillies have made limited roster moves this offseason, despite winning the NL East and falling to the Mets in the NL Division Series. In addition to Kepler, the team signed closer Jordan Romano to a one-year, $8.5 million contract. Romano, an All-Star in 2022 and 2023, has 105 career saves and a 2.90 ERA over six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Dombrowski suggested that further major signings are unlikely, given the team’s $300 million-plus payroll. “From an ownership perspective, I don’t think I’ve ever gone to John [Middleton] on anything and heard no,” he said. “But you still try to keep things in perspective.”