The Philadelphia Phillies had to pull two of their outfielders from Sunday’s spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles due to injuries.
Both Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh exited early and later provided updates on their conditions.
Kepler, who joined the Phillies this offseason as a free agent, left the game after a hard collision with the outfield wall while making a catch in the first inning. Though he walked off the field on his own, he did not return to action. Speaking with reporters, including MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, Kepler said he was dealing with a bruised lower back.
“I’m fine,” Kepler assured. “It’s just a bruise—it feels like getting hit by a pitch.”
Kepler’s health is important for the Phillies, particularly with utility player Weston Wilson sidelined by injury and center fielder Johan Rojas off to a slow start this spring. Kepler has impressed in his first spring with Philadelphia, slashing .360/.484/.800 with three home runs and nine RBIs over 25 at-bats.
Meanwhile, Marsh exited in the third inning after slipping twice on the warning track—once in the first inning and again in the third—landing on his left knee both times. He later compared the warning track conditions to “ice” and confirmed he suffered a bruised knee.
Both players mentioned they likely would have stayed in the game if it had been during the regular season, but with just a week left in spring training, there was no sense in risking further injury.
Kepler signed a one-year, $10 million deal and has so far looked like a great value pickup for a Phillies team that didn’t make any major power-hitting additions this offseason. Kepler has a proven track record, having hit a career-high 36 home runs in 2019 and 161 homers overall. He’s also contributed consistently with gap power, tallying 205 doubles over his 10-year MLB career, with seven seasons of at least 20 doubles.
Marsh, acquired by the Phillies in a 2022 trade, doesn’t bring the same power as Kepler but offers versatility in the outfield. His ability to cover multiple positions gives Philadelphia the flexibility to keep Kyle Schwarber in the designated hitter spot, limiting his defensive duties.
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