It really hasn’t been much time since the $10 million outfielder landed in Philadelphia. And over the course of a few months, he has already figured out how brutal and brutally honest Phillies fans can be. They wear frustration as their second skin, and the veteran is well-versed in their behavioural traits.

We are talking about Max Kepler, who has been on the receiving end of relentless boos this year. Well, the Phillies fanbase doesn’t hesitate to boo their own team’s players either if they’re slumping. Kepler is not having a good year, but he still recorded two hits, two RBIs, and a home run on Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles. And phew, finally, he got a break from the boos after contributing to the Phillies’ 5-0 win.

His second-inning homer came after a long halt; his last one came on June 22nd. Kepler acknowledged how challenging it is to impress the Phillies fanbase. Speaking on the NBC Sports Philadelphia podcast, he admitted, “Sometimes I think the boos are their love language.”

Jumping right into Kepler’s comment later, commentator Michael Barkann explained the Philliers’ fanbase without missing a beat: “We boo because we love! We boo because we care. And we boo because you’re underperforming.” Oh, the irony!

In his first year as a Philly, Kepler has slashed only .204/.295/.366 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs.  He has fallen short of the expectations attached to his one-year, $10 million contract. Since July, he has hit .180 with a .536 OPS in 71 plate appearances.

He’s likely aware of the word about his stint with the Phillies being cut short. Before the trade deadline expired, the Phillies made a deal with the Minnesota Twins for Harrison Bader. As the team acquired him, it was league-wide assumed that Bader would take over Kepler’s spot in the lineup. However, when the trade materialized, the club and manager Rob Thomson decided that they would do a platoon system between Bednar and Kepler for at least a week. But then again, how long is it going to go like this?

Will the Phillies cut ties with Max Kepler?

The Philadelphia Phillies have had a decent roster all along, but after the trade deadline, it has started to look even better. However, their outfield depth has always been a problem. Recently, Edward Eng from That Ball’s Outta Here said that the Phillies could part ways with the veteran outfielder over the next couple of months. It could be either before the postseason or during the off-season.

Eng noted that the veteran has hit just .204 with a .661 OPS. This record happens to be his worst numbers since his brief major league debut back in 2015 with the Twins. And that’s why many predicted that he could be shipped upon an acquisition of an outfielder at the deadline.

But despite Bader’s addition, Kepler hasn’t lost his roster spot. But if he doesn’t prove his worth and make an impact going forward, he might not be in the postseason picture with the Phillies, considering the fact that the Phillies’ top outfield prospect—Justin Crawford—is expected to make his debut at some point as well.

For how long do you see Kepler holding his spot in the Phillies’ lineup?