MINNEAPOLIS — If that is it for Max Kepler’s tenure in Minnesota, he says he’s at peace with it.
There’s some likelihood that the longest-tenured participant within the group has performed his ultimate recreation in a Twins uniform, given Tuesday’s information that Kepler will seemingly not return earlier than the top of the common season due to continued discomfort within the hip space that had sophisticated his restoration from what had initially been a left knee problem.
“It’s not the way I’d like to go out as a Twin, but then again, [stuff] happens,” Kepler stated. “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 years prior.”
Kepler is sure free of charge company this offseason and seems unlikely to obtain the qualifying supply that would depart open a door for an extension to his Minnesota profession. And if the Twins are unable to erase their one-game deficit to reclaim the ultimate AL Wild Card berth, the clock would virtually actually run out on Kepler’s 15-year tenure with the group.
Kepler final performed on Sept. 1, and at that time, he’d already been coping with the patellar tendinitis in his knee for almost two weeks, throughout which the Twins primarily had to decide his availability on a day-to-day foundation. Kepler stated he believes the hip problem — which he stated may require offseason surgical procedure — was the origin of the knee issues, too.
Though he indicated that he was doing “fine” after taking reside batting observe towards the rehabbing Chris Paddack on Monday at Target Field, Kepler stated that the hip nonetheless “doesn’t feel great” and that the most important hurdle to his return was not being as wholesome as potential to assist his teammates on this ultimate six-game run with the group’s playoff hopes on the road.
“I’d like to feel great,” Kepler stated. “I think at this point, with six games that are very crucial games to finish the season here, I think we want the guys on the field that have all the health and everything to give as opposed to, I’d say, a horse who is a little banged-up and maybe not going to be tip-top right out of the gate.”
Indeed, Kepler had struggled to a .583 OPS in 22 August appearances earlier than the Twins positioned him on the IL on Sept. 5. Corner outfielders Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach have primarily been the membership’s solely two above-average regulars within the lineup all through the Minnesota hitters’ collective malaise in September.
Kepler’s problem is indicative of the general beat-up state of the roster. The Twins rushed each Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa again from the injured checklist to have them for the stretch run whereas monitoring their taking part in time, whereas Larnach just lately performed by a hamstring problem that clearly prevented him from operating for a number of days whereas limiting him to DH duties.
If Kepler doesn’t have an opportunity to return, it might mark a tricky ending to the journey that started when the Twins signed him as a world free agent in 2009 as a part of the category that additionally included Miguel Sanó and Jorge Polanco. After Sanó pale out of the league and Polanco was traded away final offseason, Kepler is the final remaining glimmer of that wave.
He began eight consecutive Opening Days in proper discipline, matching Tony Oliva for many in membership historical past. His 1,072 video games performed are fourth-most amongst outfielders in membership historical past, behind solely Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett, Torii Hunter and Oliva. He is Target Field’s all-time chief in homers and RBIs, sharing the latter distinction with Hall of Famer Joe Mauer.
“I don’t think I could have done much more as a kid from Berlin,” Kepler stated. “And I’m not trying to prove it to anyone. This is proving to myself what I could have done. I’m truly happy, and yeah, I just wish I could do a little more here now, but it is what it is.”
But he’ll keep prepared, in case there’s nonetheless one other chapter but to be written.
“I’m here in case they need me, in case we go deep into October,” Kepler stated.
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