The Philadelphia Phillies won 95 games last year and may again this season. The Phillies may win the National League East and will likely make the playoffs. The question is, can the team beat the Dodgers and Mets? Philadelphia has star pitchers Zach Wheeler and Aaron Nola, and they have star players on the field and at bat in Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber. The problem with the Phillies is that all of those stars are getting older. Do you think the march of time will derail the Phillies?
Philadelphia Phillies Starting Rotation
The Phillies starting rotation is led by twin aces Wheeler and Nola. Wheeler is a perennial Cy Young Award contender and at his best in the postseason. Nola has a nasty knuckle curve and is another ace. Though, Nola has given up 62 home runs in the past two seasons, including a National League-leading 30 last season.
The third starting pitcher for Philadelphia is Ranger Suarez. Suarez is a left-handed pitcher. Jesus Luzardo is the fourth starter for the Phillies. He is a newcomer since coming over in a trade with the Miami Marlins. He has been injured, but when he is healthy, he throws a 97 MPH fastball. The fifth starter for the team is Cristopher Sanchez. He finds success with his changeup. Every team needs more than five starting pitchers. Look for prospect Andrew Painter to be the first to augment the starting rotation.
Philadelphia Phillies Bullpen
Jordan Romano signed with the Phillies from the Toronto Blue Jays to be the closer. Romano had an injury-plagued 2024 season. If healthy, Romano is a good closer. Left-handed Matt Strahm will set up Romano, who throws in the mid-90s and misses a lot of bats. Jose Alverado will be the third option out of the bullpen for Philadelphia. His velocity was down last year, and his ERA rose. Young right-handed pitcher Orion Kerkering has great stuff and may get some ninth-inning opportunities. He has given up only three home runs in 78 innings, including the postseason. Tanner Banks and veteran Taijuan Walker provide bullpen depth for the team.
Catcher
J.T. Realmuto is the starting catcher for the Phillies. He will be 34 years old this year, so the days of him catching 130 or more games (as he did in 2022 and 2023). Garrett Stubbs has been the backup to Realmuto. Stubbs, however, is a poor hitter and has slid to the third spot.. Youngster Rafael Marchan is now the backup catcher. He is skilled but has had some injury troubles in recent years. If Realmuto, who will be a free agent after this season, lands on the injured list, do not be surprised if the Phillies go out and trade for an experienced catcher.
Infield
At first base, the Phillies have superstar Harper. He made the transition from the outfield to first base as well as could be imagined. He is 32 years old now, a far cry from where he was when he was drafted by the Washington Nationals. Second base is manned by Bryson Stott.
The shortstop is Turner. He played well last year but did not win National League Most Valuable Player, something one might expect from someone with a $300 free-agent contract. The third baseman for the Phillies is Alec Bohm. He played well in the first half of last season and poorly in the second half of last season. Edmundo Sosa is a capable utility man who could break camp with the Phillies.
Outfield
In the outfield, the Phillies are weaker than their awesome star power on the infield. They have signed former Minnesota Twins Max Kepler to a one-year deal. with the He replaces Brandon Marsh. Center fielder Johan Rojas is an excellent defender but has proved that he cannot hit major-league pitching. Nick Castellanos can hit but has virtually no range in the field. Former left fielder Marsh might alternate with Rojas.
Designated Hitter
Designated hitter for the Phillies is the Kyle Schwarber show. He of the three true outcomes (home run, walk, strike out) has prodigious power. Only Shohei Otani and Aaron Judge have more home runs than him over the past three seasons. Philadelphia will want Schwarber in their lineup. He has batted leadoff. However, the club could use this position to spell aging stars, like Harper. That said Schwarber is a nightmare in the field.
Management
Dave Dombrowski has come over from the Detroit Tigers to be the General Manager. His track record in Detroit was Stellar. Owner John Middleton seems obsessed with bringing a world championship to Philadelphia. Former Yankee Bench Coach Rob Thomson is the manager of the Phillies. He will be on the hot seat if the team does not win the World Series.
Conclusion
It is now or never for the Philadelphia Phillies. They have a talented roster and a lot of star players, but they are all aging. In the division, They will have their hands full with the Mets all summer. If Phildelphia can get out of the National League East, they will still have to contend with the Dodgers.
