Rob Thomson's latest excuse for sticking with Max Kepler is his most pathetic yet

The Philadelphia Phillies are playing good baseball out of the trade deadline. Jhoan Durán has been everything fans wanted and more in his first two appearances. Meanwhile, a Harrison Bader three-run bomb in Monday's win over the Baltimore Orioles helped assuage concerns about his offense. He looks the part of an everyday outfielder.

And yet, Philly continues to platoon Bader with Brandon Marsh in centerfield for the time being. Max Kepler is receiving regular starts in left, despite a season-long slump that has left most fans pining for his swift exit. If the Phillies DFA'd Kepler tomorrow, there would be celebrations in the street — fair or not. So why is Rob Thomson dragging his feet?

Well, because he made a promise. A promise to platoon the outfield and give everyone a fair shot in the six games after the deadline, and a promise he is unwilling to waver on despite having every reason to.

"I promised the guys the first six games will be a platoon, one," Thomson told reporters ahead of Tuesday's battle with Baltimore. "Two, I know Bader has good numbers against him (Dean Kremer) but Kepler is 1-for-4 with a HR, too. I have to stay with my word.”

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Phillies stick with Max Kepler over Harrison Bader because Rob Thomson 'promised'

Phillies fans are tired. Kepler has been a disaster all season, now batting .200 with a .645 OPS and 78 wRC+. Sure, he homered off of Dean Kremer once, but past success feels immaterial to his current, ongoing struggles at the plate. Kepler's peak as a 30-plus home run threat is a distant memory. He has been Philadelphia's worst regular player by a comfortable margin.

Bader's numbers are better across the board this season and he's infinitely superior as a defender. The Phillies dealt a top-15 prospect for Bader's expiring contract because he's surging through the midsummer months and producing against righties and lefties alike. His three-run homer on Monday was a nice taste, but Phillies fans want the whole meal and don't understand why it hasn't been served yet.

It's beyond clear that Bader will take over full-time from Kepler in a few days time, with Brandon Marsh and Otto Kemp potentially platooning in left field. The Phillies also have Justin Crawford tearing up the minors, so he's another option to eat at-bats in the outfield if Philly wants to take a gamble on their No. 3 prospect.

Rob Thomson's excuse for sticking with Max Kepler rings hollow

I have no doubt that Thomson made a promise to Kepler to at least platoon through the six games. But first off, why make such a definitive promise? And two, why does that really matter? This is Major League Baseball, the highest level of competition in the world. It's a meritocracy, at least in theory. If you aren't performing, you risk a demotion. Kepler is still banking $10 million this season, so it's not like there is any reason to feel bad for him. He'll get another contract somewhere else in 2026 with a new chance to prove himself. He does not need Thomson's coddling.

Managing egos is the toughest part of Thomson's job. Kepler signed in Philly under the impression that he'd be the full-time left fielder. Unfortunately, he just has not been good enough. Bader is a significant improvement. At this point, it's fair to think Crawford might be, too, even if his limited slugging is of greater concern on the big-league stage.

The Phillies don't need to wait two more games to axe Kepler and improve the team. Every game counts in a tight divisional race. Postseason seeding is on the line. Just bite the bullet already.