The Max Kepler Era in Minnesota has reportedly reached its conclusion.
The longtime Twins right fielder reached an agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday evening on a one-year deal that is said to be worth $10 million, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The deal, reported by multiple outlets, has not yet been made official.
The news marks the expected conclusion of Kepler’s journey with the Twins, which began when he was part of their 2009 international signing class as a 16-year-old kid from Germany.
“Fifteen years of my life, half my life as a Twin, I don’t think I could have done much more as a kid from Berlin,” Kepler said in September as he reflected on his career.
After signing with the Twins, Kepler, now 31, moved to the United States and finished high school at South Fort Myers High School — across the street from the Twins’ complex in Florida — while he worked his way through the minor league system.
He eventually debuted in 2015 and established himself as a major leaguer the next season. Kepler, who played in parts of 10 seasons with the Twins, was the longest-tenured player in the organization. Over the past decade, no player has appeared in more games as a Twin than him. He surpassed 1,000 career games in 2024.
During his time in Minnesota, Kepler delivered his fair share of memorable moments. His 11 career walk-off plate appearances tie him with Kirby Puckett and Harmon Killebrew for most in Twins’ history. He holds the Target Field record for most home runs hit at the ballpark and while his offense was sometimes inconsistent, he was a steady defender in right field for years.
His departure in free agency does not come as a surprise.
Kepler signed a five-year, $35 million extension to stay with the Twins ahead of the 2019 season and the Twins picked up a club option to retain him for the 2024 season, but his final season in Minnesota didn’t quite go to plan.
After a strong conclusion to 2023 during which he played some of his best baseball, Kepler finished the 2024 season hitting .253 with a .682 OPS, hitting eight home runs and driving in 42 runs in 105 games.
He ended the year on the injured list, his season derailed by multiple injuries.
“It’s not the way I’d like to go out as a Twin, but then again (stuff) happens,” Kepler said in September. “The game comes with a lot of unexpected adversity and challenges, and I’m proud of myself for what I’ve done as an individual, as a teammate, as a friend to everyone in this clubhouse and in the past.”
Kepler then noted that he would like to play at least five more seasons before retiring.
While his future seasons may not be in Minnesota, he more than made his mark on the organization during his tenure.
“He’s been a really good player for a really long time here,” president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said in September. “He’s been a really steady player for a really long period of time. … I appreciate Max’s contributions over the time here.”
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