Max Kepler News: Idle against southpaw

Kepler is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.

The left-handed-hitting Kepler will hit the bench for the first time since June 9, which marks the last time the Phillies faced a left-handed starting pitcher (the Cubs' Matthew Boyd). With southpaw David Peterson toeing the rubber for the Mets in the series finale, Otto Kemp will step in as the Phillies' left fielder in place of Kepler, who went 9-for-39 (.231 average) with three home runs and a 7:7 BB:K during his stretch of 11 consecutive starts.