After a long and painful playoff drought, the Philadelphia Phillies, under Manager Rob Thomson, made two straight postseasons, getting to the NLCS and World Series but never winning. This year, they look more ready than ever, returning a similar team from last year with improved starting pitching and bullpen depth.
In order to get back in the playoffs, they will need continued consistency in hitting from their stars Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, as well as similar contributions from supporting players. Those players include (but are not limited to) Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber, and Alec Bohm. If the team is able to work some sort of consistency out of those 3, who are known to be absurdly up and down, then they will be able to make a serious case for the championship.
Another huge factor that will likely need to improve if the team wants to go all the way is defense. Throughout the entirety of last season, the Phillies made constant defensive errors on simple plays that should have resulted in easy outs. While one of these errors doesn't necessarily kill a game, they start to add up, especially when they turn outs into doubles or more. With the return of Johan Rojas, Brandon Marsh, and a much [defensively] improved Nick Castellanos, the team thankfully will not have to play Kyle Schwarber as an everyday fielder, but if a serious injury does occur in the outfield, this team could be in trouble.
As for the pitching, the Phillies were surprisingly able to bring back Aaron Nola, who had been with the team his entire career, and there was doubt surrounding whether he would be able to come back. Additionally, ace Zack Wheeler is returning for another campaign, and #3 and #4 in the depth chart, Ranger Suarez and Taijuan Walker, are making their way back to the clubhouse as well. In the bullpen, the only notable loss is Craig Kimbrel, who many fans will not miss. Star closer Jose Alvarado is ready to takeover full time, and setup pieces Jeff Hoffman and Seranthony Dominguez will return for another season. This pitching squad, especially considering the top two, is sure to be one of the most feared in the league.
In free agency, the team did not make too many new signings or trades, they just retained key players. In my opinion, this was the right move. They clearly have proven that they have what it takes to make it to the World Series and nearly win it, now it is just a matter of getting over the hump. With this lineup, it is entirely possible that they make it over that hump this year and take home another World Series to Philly.
-Eli Knight
Add comment
Comments