Since he signed as a 16-year-old out of Germany as part of the Twins’ 2009 international signing class, Max Kepler has grown from teenager who attended high school across the street from the Twins’ Fort Myers, Fla., complex to a 31-year-old man, a pillar in right field for the Twins for more than half a decade.

He has played more than 1,000 games as Twin and is one of their longest-tenured players. But after spending half his life in the organization, it’s possible he has played his last game in a Twins uniform.

Kepler landed on the injured list on Sept. 5 after trying to play through left patellar tendinitis for some time. In the process of building back, he reported feeling discomfort that president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said was a “core muscle, hip abdominal area issue.” He received a cortisone shot for it last week.

Tuesday, manager Rocco Baldelli said Kepler was unlikely to return during the regular season and even if the Twins make it to the playoffs, it sounds as if Kepler, who acknowledged he might need an offseason surgery for the issue, is not close to a return.

Kepler said he feels “fine,” but he would “like to feel great.”

“I think at this point, with six games that are very crucial to finish the season here, I think we want the guys on the field that have all the health and everything to give as opposed to, I’d say, a horse who is a little banged up and maybe not going to be tip top right out of the gate,” Kepler said before Tuesday’s game. “I think we have guys on the team that have all the capability and also all the health, which is very important right now.”

Still, he said, the Twins opened the door for him and he owes them a lot, which is why he said he opted to get a cortisone shot to see if he could push through, rather than just shutting it down to focus on his health.

He’s hopeful that if the team makes a deep run, he can help late in October. But he knows it might not happen and if it doesn’t, it’s possible he’s played his last game for the Twins.

The Twins gave Kepler a five-year contract extension before the 2019 season and then picked up a club option for this year, but he will be a free agent for the first time in his career at the end of this season and the Twins are likely to move on.

“It’s not the way I’d like to go out as a Twin, but then again, shit happens,” Kepler said. “The game comes with a lot of unexpected adversity and challenges and I’m proud of myself for what I’ve done as an individual, as a teammate, as a friend to everyone in this clubhouse. … Fifteen years of my life, half my life as a Twin, I don’t think I could have done much more as a kid from Berlin.”

Paddack, Topa returns?

The Twins haven’t ruled out a return from either starting pitcher Chris Paddack — who would return in a relief role — or reliever Justin Topa, who has recently been pitching for the Saints on a rehab assignment.

Paddack, who has been out with a forearm strain, faced Kepler, Michael Helman and Austin Martin in his first live batting practice on Monday at Target Field and he’s supposed to throw again live to hitters this week, likely on Thursday.

“That’s probably when I’ll sit down with Rocco and the staff to see where we’re at with standings,” Paddack said. “If we’re in, we clinch the Baltimore series, then we’ll probably wait until that first series in the playoffs. If we’re one game, or if it’s tied and we need a win on Sunday, it’s probably all arms are going to be on deck and they’ll make a decision when the time comes.”

Topa, who has missed all season dealing first with a knee injury and then an elbow issue, said he is feeling good health-wise and back to normal. As for a potential return, he hasn’t heard anything.

“I think it’s just stay ready and see what happens. Obviously, there’s a lot of moving parts, especially this week. I think it’s just be available and kind of see what happens,” Topa said. “I think right now, for me, checking off that health box has been huge in just throwing in those two games and coming out healthy. It’s massive.”

Minnesota Twins’ Max Kepler watches his ball after hitting a two-run home run off Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer in the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)