Impact Kepler left Thursday's game with a non-COVID illness, and it looks as though he's still too sick to play. Brent Rooker will start in right field.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
MAX KEPLER #26 - RIGHT FIELDER - MINNESOTA TWINS
8 HR •
42 RBI •
.253 AVG
8 HR
42 RBI
.253 AVG
Not in Friday's lineup Kepler (illness) won't start Friday's game against the Blue Jays.
Twins bump Blue Jays back in wild card race, as Gurriel hurt
The Minnesota Twins beat Toronto 7-2 to bump the Blue Jays back in the AL wild-card raceSEPTEMBER 24, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Exits with illness Kepler exited Thursday's game with a non-COVID 19 illness, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Impact Kepler was replaced by Luis Arraez in the fifth inning. It's unclear what the specific illness is, though so long as Kepler continues to test negative for COVID-19 he could return at some point during the team's weekend series against the Blue Jays.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Kepler mashing; Berríos ready for return MINNEAPOLIS -- Max Kepler thought he was fortunate to catch the swirling winds at Wrigley Field when he smashed two homers against the Cubs...
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 • MLB.COM
Slugs two homers Kepler went 3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI, three runs scored and a double Wednesday against the Cubs.
Impact Kepler powered the Twins' offense by delivering a home run in each of his first two at-bats in the game. He now 19 homers on the season, though he has gone yard only three times since Aug. 17 -- a span of 28 games. Kepler has maintained a disappointing .213/.312/.428 line across 462 plate appearances, but he has now turned in consecutive three-hit performances.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Kepler homers twice, Ryan's 11 Ks lead Twins over Cubs 5-4
Max Kepler homered twice, rookie Joe Ryan struck out a season-high 11, and the Minnesota Twins held on to beat the Chicago Cubs 5-4SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Batting cleanup Wednesday Kepler will start in right field and bat fourth Wednesday against the Cubs.
Impact After going 0-for-16 over a stretch of five straight games, Kepler broke out of his slump in Tuesday's 9-5 win with three hits, two RBI and a run across five plate appearances. He'll be rewarded with the cleanup assignment in the series finale, though he'll likely slot one spot lower in the lineup once Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco -- both of whom are resting Wednesday -- rejoin the starting nine.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Gordon homers, 4 Twins get 3 hits, Minnesota tops Cubs 9-5
Nick Gordon hit a two-run homer and two singles, Josh Donaldson and Max Kepler each had three hits and two RBIs, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago Cubs 9-5SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Souhan: Max Kepler deserves some of your Twins exasperation, too Why does Max Kepler seem to get a free pass from the summer of 2021 criticism party? He's failing too often at the plate, plain and simple.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 • STARTRIBUNE.COM
Sitting nightcap Kepler is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against Cleveland.
Impact Kepler went 0-for-2 with a walk in Game 1 and will now take a seat for the nightcap. Rob Refsnyder and Nick Gordon will start in the corner outfield spots versus Cleveland lefty Logan Allen.
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Not starting Sunday Kepler is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.
Impact Kepler homered in a 2-for-3 effort Saturday and is now hitting .206 with three doubles, a home run and two RBI in his last 10 games. Rob Refsnyder is starting in right field and batting second Sunday.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Ends personal power outage Kepler went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk Saturday against the Royals.
Impact Kepler extended the Minnesota lead to 4-1 in the fourth inning when he took Kansas City starter Brady Singer over the wall right-center field. It was the 17th long ball of the year for Kepler and first since Aug. 16, snapping his 18-game homerless drought. The 28-year-old hit just .175 with a .567 OPS during that stretch, dropping his season numbers to .209 and .732, respectively.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Polanco homers twice as Twins hit 5 in 9-2 win over Royals
Jorge Polanco hit two of Minnesota’s five home runs, Michael Pineda pitched five strong innings in his return to the rotation and the Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 9-2SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
On bench versus southpaw Kepler is out of the lineup for Monday's game against Cleveland.
Impact The lefty-hitting Kepler will head to the bench for the series opener with a southpaw (Logan Allen) on the bump for Cleveland. Platoon mate Rob Refsnyder replaces Kepler in right field.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Sitting against southpaw Kepler isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Cubs.
Impact Kepler went 2-for-6 with a double and two walks across the last two games and will get a day off with left-hander Justin Steele starting for the Cubs on Wednesday. Rob Refsnyder will start in right field and bat third.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Schwindel, Happ homer; Cubs hold on to beat Twins 3-1
Frank Schwindel homered for the second straight game, Ian Happ added a towering homer into the third deck, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Minnesota Twins 3-1SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sits against lefty Kepler is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.
Impact The lefty-hitting Kepler will take a seat Sunday with southpaw Aaron Ashby on the hill for Milwaukee. Rob Refsnyder will cover right field in Kepler's stead.
AUGUST 29, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Lauer expected to start for the Brewers against Twins
The Brewers will start Eric Lauer on Friday while the Twins are expected to counter with Andrew AlbersAUGUST 27, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Absent from Thursday's lineup Kepler isn't starting Thursday against the Red Sox.
Impact Kepler started each of the last three games and went 3-for-13 with a triple, a run, a walk and a strikeout. Rob Refsnyder will take his place in right field and lead off.
AUGUST 26, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Six years into Max Kepler's Twins career, why are his batting averages so low? There's nothing unlucky about it Max Kepler avoids strikeouts, yet he's a career .233 hitter, including .204 this season. Why? It's the quality of his balls in play.
AUGUST 26, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Cole pitches streaking Yanks past Twins; Sunday's game PPD
Gerrit Cole struck out Josh Donaldson with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning and got through the sixth throwing shutout ball, and the New York Yankees beat the Minnestoa Twi...AUGUST 21, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Not starting Friday Kepler is out of the lineup Friday against the Yankees, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Impact Kepler is 1-for-13 over his past three games and will take a seat Friday with lefty Nestor Cortes pitching for New York. Rob Refsnyder, Nick Gordon and Jake Cave will start from left to right in the outfield.
AUGUST 20, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Reaches base four times Kepler went 1-for-3 with a home run, three walks, two runs scored and two RBI in Monday's 5-4 win over Cleveland.
Impact Kepler got the Twins on the board early with his leadoff shot against Cal Quantrill. He drew three walks in the win and eventually scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning. Over the last three games, Kepler has gone 4-for-9 with seven walks, eight runs scored and four extra-base hits. His season slash line is up to .211/.307/.439 through 84 games.
AUGUST 17, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Polanco's 10th-inning double lifts Twins past Indians, 5-4
Jorge Polanco doubled with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning to score Max Kepler and give the Minnesota Twins a 5-4 victory over the Cleveland IndiansAUGUST 17, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Piles up runs in weekend series Kepler went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two walks and three runs Sunday in the Twins' 5-4 win over the Rays.
Impact Kepler had delivered a lowly .548 OPS over his first 26 games since the All-Star break before he broke out of his prolonged funk Saturday with a solo home run and a pair of walks. The 28-year-old then closed the weekend with another solid box-score line, rewarding the faith of fantasy managers that stuck with him amid his prolonged offensive drought. The .855 OPS that Kepler turned in during the 2019 campaign is beginning to look like the outlier for his career; his OPS has hovered between .730 and .760 in each of his other five full seasons in the majors.
AUGUST 16, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
