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CLEARWATER, Fla. -- There have been more exciting camps this spring than the Phillies¡¯ at BayCare Ballpark.
Most of the gang is back. There are a few new faces, such as Jes¨²s Luzardo, Max Kepler and Joe Ross. But for the most part, the core returns. It means a star-studded lineup with Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber. It means a star-studded rotation with Zack Wheeler, Cristopher S¨¢nchez and Aaron Nola. It means big arms in the bullpen with Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm, Jos¨¦ Alvarado and Orion Kerkering.
It means a team with World Series aspirations.
What needs to go right?
The easy answer is health. Every team will have injuries, but almost no team can handle major blow after major blow, especially to its core. If the Phillies stay healthy, they should compete for a second consecutive National League East title and a World Series championship.
But the real answer is they need to play well in October. Everybody knows the story by now. The Phils lost in six games to the Astros in the 2022 World Series, they lost in seven games to the Diamondbacks in the 2023 NL Championship Series and they lost in four games to the Mets in the 2024 NL Division Series. The team has improved each regular season record-wise, but it has regressed in the postseason.
Everything about the Phillies this season is geared toward October. Can they play well when it matters most?
Great unknown
The Phillies signed Kepler to a one-year, $10 million contract in December after he endured one of the worst years of his career last year. He has been injured a lot, but Kepler has looked good this spring following an offseason surgery to repair a partially detached abdominal muscle and mechanical adjustments to his swing. If health and an improved swing are signs of things to come, the Phillies will be thrilled with their new left fielder, who would provide another big bat in the lineup, as well as solid defense in the field.
Team MVP will be ...
The easy pick for the NL MVP is Dodgers slugger/pitcher Shohei Ohtani, especially once he returns to the mound. But Harper loves a challenge. He remains one of the most feared hitters in baseball because he is one of the most clutch hitters in baseball. If he¡¯s hitting second or third in the Phillies¡¯ lineup, it¡¯s easy to picture him putting up monster numbers, coupled with Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base.
If Harper stays healthy and puts everything together, forget team MVP -- he could make a run at his third NL MVP.
Team Cy Young will be ...
Wheeler enters every season trying to win the NL Cy Young Award. He finished second in 2021 and again last year. Maybe he will win it this year. There is no reason to think he can¡¯t.
But one of Wheeler¡¯s top competitors for the NL Cy Young Award might be S¨¢nchez. If what he has shown this spring is real -- and there¡¯s no reason to think it isn¡¯t -- Wheeler and S¨¢nchez will be one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, leading a rotation that includes Nola, Luzardo and Ranger Su¨¢rez, with top prospect Andrew Painter possibly joining the team this summer.
Bold prediction
Alvarado will not only be the first Phillies reliever to save at least 30 games since Jeanmar Gomez (37 saves) in 2016, but he will lead all lefty relievers in strikeouts.