The Diamondbacks signed veteran outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year deal earlier this month as the 33-year-old wrapped up the final stages of an 80-game PED suspension. He’s now eligible to join Arizona’s roster and, after a 10-game “rehab” stint to tune-up in the minors, will be added to the team’s major league roster today, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Infielder/outfielder Tim Tawa will be optioned to Triple-A Reno to clear a spot on the 26-man roster. Because Kepler has still been on the restricted list while finishing out that suspension, Arizona will still need to clear a 40-man roster spot for him. Righty Ryne Nelson, out with an elbow/flexor strain, stands as a plausible 60-day IL candidate.
Kepler’s 10-game tune-up in the minors produced quality results. He took 38 plate appearances, belted a pair of homers and slashed .333/.474/.567 overall. Both homers came while playing with some of the D-backs’ lower-level affiliates, as opposed to in Triple-A, where he spent the final six games of his stint. Kepler walked seven times against only six strikeouts.
It’s certainly not the equivalent of a full spring training, but the Snakes are apparently satisfied with what they’ve seen. The longtime Twins outfielder will jump right into a D-backs outfield mix that has struggled this season. Star right fielder Corbin Carroll has been excellent as usual (.279/.365/.537), but the Diamondbacks have gotten minimal production from the other two outfield slots. Former top-10 pick Jordan Lawlar has been great when healthy … but that’s amounted to all of 44 plate appearances thanks to a broken wrist and a hamstring strain. He suffered the latter of those two injuries just five days ago in only his sixth game back from the wrist fracture.
Kepler will presumably step into left field and see time at designated hitter — at least against right-handed pitching. (He’s had significant platoon splits throughout his career.) Kepler has long been regarded as a plus defender in right field and has played some center in the past, but he hasn’t manned center with any regularity since the 2019 season in Minnesota. Carroll is no stranger to center field himself, but he’s an elite defender in right and not nearly as effective in center. The simplest and most straightforward solution would be Kepler and Carroll in the corners on most nights, with the D-backs piecing things together in center.
If Kepler indeed slots into left field most nights, it’ll push struggling veteran Lourdes Gurriel Jr. into more of a DH role. Gurriel’s return from last year’s ACL tear hasn’t gone nearly as well as he or the team hoped. He’s appeared in 32 games but mustered only a .223/.273/.298 slash — miles shy of the career .274/.319/.454 line he carried into the season. Gurriel has been a bit better over his past 58 plate appearances (.259/.276/.370), but he’s still clearly shaking off some rust and not playing up to expectation. Perhaps more frequent time at designated hitter will put less stress on his surgically repaired knee and help him to get his legs back underneath him.
