How Philadelphia Phillies OF Max Kepler flipped the switch since the trade deadline
The switch flipped for Max Kepler just past halfway through the Philadelphia Phillies' season.
His comments about playing time weren't the wake-up call, nor were the questions surrounding his future as the Phillies were beginning to improve their roster. The trade deadline passed, and Kepler remained.
All anyone outside the Phillies organization could ask was why? The conviction was there for Kepler, giving him enough confidence to flip that switch.
"There was a little bit of a sigh of relief after that," Kepler admitted once he knew he likely was remaining with the Phillies. "The days seemed easier than it did in the first half."
The culmination of the Phillies' belief in Kepler was on display in Wednesday night's 11-3 victory over the Mets. Kepler finished 3 for 4 with a home run and five RBIs in the win, his first five-RBI game since Aug. 1, 2016.
Since the trade deadline, Kepler is hitting .288 with five home runs, 17 RBIs, 16 runs scored and an .858 OPS. The switch was flipped.
"You have to really believe in the back of a guy's baseball card," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. "It's going to happen at some point. I talked to him and told him, 'You're in a good spot. We believe in you.'"
Kepler was still on an island until the trade deadline passed. The Phillies were looking for an outfield bat, and he was hitting just .203 with a .655 OPS as July came to a close. Kepler made his playing time comments on June 27 and hit just .186 with a .561 OPS in the 22 games he played leading up to the deadline.
His future with the Phillies was in doubt.
"Me personally, I was trying to prove myself," Kepler said. "I played the game more as an individual as I would say for the team. Not in a selfish way, but just being the new guy on a team — I was trying to do a little more than I usually can do in a controlled setting."
The lights were able to turn on once Kepler knew the Phillies had his back. They saw enough to believe Kepler would turn things around, as he's become part of an outfield platoon that has carried this offense over the past six weeks.
Phillies outfielders are hitting .278 with an .800 OPS since Aug. 1. That ranks fourth and eighth in all of baseball, respectively. Prior to the deadline on July 31, the outfielders were hitting .239 (20th) and with a .679 OPS (24th).
"Everyone's on board with the game goal, and everyone's moving at the same pace," Kepler said. "People are contributing. There's a feeling everyone has each other's backs."
So what has changed for Kepler? The deadline passing was the spark he needed, but he still had to prove the Phillies right.
"I am more aware and conscious of the pattern that I'm now being played in," Kepler said. "I figured out a routine to help me lock in when I'm off (not playing). Yesterday, I was in the cage doing stuff on off days that I wouldn't be doing. It's keeping me locked in and just honed on seeing a baseball visually at a speed that you would in a game. That just helps me in games that I actually would be playing."
The Phillies were right. So was Kepler for believing in himself once again.