Philadelphia Phillies fans are left with a sour taste in their mouth due to the first-round exit in the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. But this year could be different.
Bryce Harper is firing on all cylinders with a .375 batting average and has been on fire in the World Baseball Classic. He seems to have a different drive this year following Dave Dombrowski’s “not elite” comment in October. Harper has been seen in the batting cages wearing a shirt with the quote “not elite” on the center. His drive to be elite again could be with the Phillies’ turning point this year.
Senior Michael Connell said,
Of all people, Bryson Stott is batting .400 with two home runs in spring training. Stott has been a key defender over the past couple of years, and his hitting has been subpar. If Stott can stay hot throughout the season, the Phillies could be looking at a lock for second base.
Andrew Painter, the young rookie looking for a spot in the starting rotation, threw two perfect innings with a strikeout, and his fastball averaged 96.8 MPH. The 22-year-old phenom has battled Tommy John surgery and finally looks like he is back to his original self. With Wheeler hopefully coming back in late April or early May, the rotation looks solid.
They also have prospect Justin Crawford looking for a starting spot in center, with Johan Rojas getting an eighty-day suspension for taking performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Crawford is batting .250 this spring training with great defense and speed.
The whole pitching staff looks solid. Wheeler being hurt is a big loss, but with Christopher Sanchez and Jesús Luzardo, they should be just fine at the beginning of the season.
Dave Dombrowski made some bullpen moves this offseason with the addition of Brad Keller and a couple of other arms. This is key to the Phillies because, in years past, the bullpen has been the problem in the postseason. The addition of Jhoan Duran and José Alvarado is what can make this Phillies team special.
Compared to the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, the Phillies are gonna look to have a competitive race for first. The Braves’ well-rounded lineup, which is led by Ronald Acuna Jr., and the Mets, led by Juan Soto, are gonna be a pain for the Phillies.
This is the make-or-break year for Philadelphia, and Dombrowski has given the Phillies the bullpen they need to be successful. They have had their chances for the past four years, and it seems that it is now or never for the Phillies.
