New York MetsThe wheels of MLB free agency are beginning to turn, and fans in New York are hoping that the Mets are aggressive once again this winter.

Not many people are talking about this name, but the Mets could be a perfect fit for Max Kepler

For Kepler, it seems like joining a new team is in his best interest after his 2025 campaign with the Philadelphia Phillies didn’t quite go as he hoped. At 32 years old, it also doesn’t seem like the Mets would need to give Kepler a massive deal, especially considering what he did in 2025.

Much of the Mets’ attention in free agency, in terms of their lineup, will be on Pete Alonso, but still, this move would make a lot of sense. 

This is a PREDICTION, not a REPORT.

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The most glaring difference between past years and 2025 was Kepler’s WAR mark being at just 0.1. Excluding Kepler’s rookie season, where he played in just three games, this is the lowest mark of his career. 

Not only that, but Kepler had a batting average of .216. The last time Kepler’s average was that low was back in 2021, and that was uncommon to see. 

2024 wasn’t great either, as Kepler had 1.0 WAR, eight home runs, and a .253 batting average in 105 games. Then, in 2025, Kepler had 18 home runs and a .216 batting average.

The appeal with Kepler is that he can hopefully get close to his 2023 form. That season, Kepler had 24 home runs, a .260 batting average, and 2.8 WAR.

How Max Kepler Fits with the New York Mets

Despite having a better roster than their record indicates, the Mets only won 83 games last year. There’s clearly a lot of work to be done.

The options with Kepler would be to either replace Alonso as the designated hitter (in a worst-case scenario), see him earn an everyday spot in the outfield, or have him as a bench bat and rotational outfielder. 

There’s no clear fit, but it wouldn’t be crazy to replace Tyrone Taylor or Jeff McNeil at this point.

If Kepler is able to return to close to his 2023 self, he would be an upgrade over McNeil, who has been fine. On the other hand, Taylor and Kepler could split time as neither needs to be an everyday player, based on what we saw last year.

Per Baseball Savant, Taylor had a Fielding Run Value of -8 but a Batting Run Value of -15. Adding Kepler into the mix could give the Mets a number of lineup options that they can feel good about. 

Max Kepler Stats

Kepler has spent 11 years in the MLB, and his career stats are 20.6 WAR, a .235 batting average, and 179 home runs.