The Twins exercised Kepler's $10 million club option for 2024 on Thursday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Coming off his best statistical season since 2019, Kepler will officially remain with the Twins for one more year as the team looks to repeat as AL Central champions. The 30-year-old outfielder slashed .260/.332/.484 with 24 homers and 66 RBI, and he will likely reprise his role as Minnesota's primary right fielder in 2024.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Sitting out Thursday
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Kepler is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.
Kepler had started the previous three contests but will begin Thursday's afternoon tilt on the bench. Trevor Larnach is in right field for the Twins.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Perfect at plate Wednesday
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Kepler went 4-for-4 and scored a run in Wednesday's 6-4 victory versus Oakland.
Kepler knocked four singles in the win, giving him his first four-hit performance of the season. He's been hitting well of late, collecting five multi-hit efforts over his past 13 games and batting .340 (17-for-50) with two homers, six RBI, 13 runs and a stolen base over that span. The late-season surge has lifted his batting average to .258 on the campaign, which is on pace to be a career-best mark.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Swats home run Sunday
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Kepler went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer in Sunday's win over the Angels.
Kepler mashed a two-run shot to right-center field in the seventh to give the Twins some breathing room by putting them up 6-3. Sunday was his third multi-hit effort in the last seven games but just his second home run in September. The 30-year-old leads the team with 23 long balls on the year and is now slashing .253/.324/.475 with 62 RBI, 67 runs and a 42:103 BB:K in 472 plate appearances.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Sitting Saturday
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Kepler will be on the bench Saturday against the Angels, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Kepler might be getting the day off because the Angels are turning to a lefty (Kenny Rosenberg), or he might be getting it off because the Twins clinched a postseason berth Friday. Either way, it will be Matt Wallner who starts in right field.
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Twins' Max Kepler: On bench Sunday
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Kepler is out of the lineup Sunday versus the White Sox.
When Kepler is not in the starting lineup there is typically a lefty on the mound. On Sunday, however, he is not in the lineup versus righty Dylan Cease. Andrew Stevenson will start in his place, batting seventh.
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Twins' Max Kepler: On bench against lefty
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Kepler will sit against southpaw David Peterson and the Mets on Saturday.
Kepler has now started against just one of the last seven lefties the Twins have faced. As has been the case for most of the second half, it will be platoon partner Matt Wallner who starts in right field.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Heads to bench Saturday
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Kepler is not in Saturday's lineup against the Rangers.
Kepler doesn't always sit against lefties, but that will be the case Saturday with Jordan Montgomery starting for Texas. Jordan Luplow is picking up the start in left field while Matt Wallner moves to right field.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Idle against lefty
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Kepler is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rangers.
Kepler will bow out of the starting nine along with fellow left-handed hitter Edouard Julien while the Rangers bring southpaw Jordan Montgomery to the hill. Matt Wallner will fill in for Kepler in right field.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Sitting against lefty
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Kepler is not in the lineup Tuesday versus the Brewers.
Kepler is not starting with lefty Wade Miley taking the mound for Milwaukee. Matt Wallner will take Kepler's spot in right field and bat eighth.
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Twins' Max Kepler: On bench Sunday
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Kepler is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
Pittsburgh's opener (Ryan Borucki) for Sunday's contest is a lefty, which will be enough to keep Kepler in the dugout to begin Sunday's contest. Matt Wallner (hand) will shift to right field while Jordan Luplow receives a start in left.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Sitting versus lefty
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Kepler isn't in the Twins' lineup Sunday against the Phillies.
With lefty Ranger Suarez starting on the mound for Philadelphia, the left-handed bat of Kepler will stay put in Minnesota's dugout to begin Sunday's contest. Matt Wallner will take Kepler's spot in right field and bat sixth.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Back in lineup Wednesday
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Kepler (foot) will start in right field and bat third Wednesday in Detroit.
Kepler didn't start in Tuesday's loss to the Tigers after exiting Monday's win following a hit-by-pitch on the right foot. He's feeling fine now and will step back into his usual spot in the outfield for the penultimate game of the series.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Not in Tuesday's lineup
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Kepler (foot) is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's game in Detroit.
Kepler had to leave Monday's win over the Tigers in the eighth inning after being hit on the right foot by a pitch. All indications were that his removal was precautionary, so his absence from the lineup Tuesday could simply be due to Detroit starting left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. Matt Wallner is in right field Tuesday.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Exits with sore toe
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Kepler left Monday's win over Detroit after getting hit by a pitch in the right foot in the eighth inning. However, he was moving around well after the game, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Kepler was set to leave the game anyway amid a blowout win, so his issue is likely minor. However, Kepler broke his pinky toe after getting hit by a pitch last year and it had a negative impact on the rest of his season. Kepler has been wielding a hot bat since the All-Star break, as he's hitting .313 with six home runs and a .958 OPS in 23 games since July 14.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Possible waiver wire pickups
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Kepler had a big weekend, homering in three consecutive games, but really, he's been a productive player for longer than that. Over his past 40 games, he's batting .291 (39 for 134) with 11 homers and a .925 OPS. It makes him the 16th-best outfielder in points leagues during that stretch, just behind Corbin Carroll. Of course, it's unlikely Kepler is turning over a new leaf at age 30. What stands out most looking under the hood is an improved barrel rate, which may simply suggest that he's hot right now. But hot he is, and particularly in points leagues, which properly appreciate his low strikeout rate, it's worth taking notice.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
Kepler had a big weekend, homering in three consecutive games, but really, he's been a productive player for longer than that. Over his past 40 games, he's batting .291 (39 for 134) with 11 homers and a .925 OPS. It makes him the 16th-best outfielder in points leagues during that stretch, just behind Corbin Carroll. Of course, it's unlikely Kepler is turning over a new leaf at age 30. What stands out most looking under the hood is an improved barrel rate, which may simply suggest that he's hot right now. But hot he is, and particularly in points leagues, which properly appreciate his low strikeout rate, it's worth taking notice.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Goes to bench against lefty
Rotowire
Kepler is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.
He'll take a seat for the series finale along with fellow left-handed hitters Edouard Julien and Joey Gallo. Kepler had started in each of Minnesota's last eight games, batting .303 with a home run, four doubles, seven runs and three RBI during that stretch.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Socks 15th homer
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Kepler went 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, a solo home run and a second run scored in Saturday's 10-7 loss to the Royals.
The 30-year-old outfielder took Jose Cuas deep in the sixth inning as he remains locked in at the plate following the All-Star break. Kepler is slashing .322/.359/.576 over his last 15 games with six doubles and three of his 15 homers on the year, but that hot streak has managed to raise his season OPS to only .744.
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Twins' Max Kepler: Sitting Thursday
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Kepler is not in Thursday's lineup against the Mariners.
Kepler, who is hitting .360 with two home runs over his last six games, will surprisingly go to the bench with righty George Kirby on the mound for Seattle. Matt Wallner, who also hits left-handed, is starting in right field and batting cleanup.
