Here we are on Opening Day, 2025, with the national media bullish on the Philadelphia Phillies and the locals unenthused. There seems to be a lack of juice for a team that is sliding backwards progressively, losing in the World Series, NLCS, and NLDS in consecutive years. Many see this as a “run it back” team that wasn’t good enough last season and won’t be good enough this time either.

Counterpoint: this Phillies team won 95 games in 2024, the second-most in Major League Baseball. Only the World Series-winning Dodgers finished with more. The Phils claimed the NL East for the first time 2011 and racked up more than 90 wins for only the fourth time since 1993. They were top five in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS, and finished 7th in walks. They stole the fifth-most bases and scored the fifth-most runs per game. The pitching staff compiled a 3.85 ERA (11th best) and walked the fourth-fewest batters over 162 games. They were top-eight in most meaningful statistical categories, even with Taijuan Walker and other outlier data pieces pulling down the overall numbers.

We all know this to be true, it’s just a matter of whether or not we’re willing to admit it:

This team has the talent.

It’s not a lack of talent.


What they need is to play their best baseball when it matters most, and last year they did not. They played their best baseball in the spring and couldn’t sustain it through the season, leading to a miserable playoff loss to the Mutts that people can’t seem to get unstuck from their craw. And New York was on the total opposite trajectory. That team was 44-44 at one point before figuring it out and going on a great run. They did what the Phillies did a few years ago, and got things sorted halfway through to go on an enjoyable run for their fans.

Keep in mind, the Phillies aren’t running it back with a some slop. They’ve had a top-five payroll every season since 2021, and that’s the case in 2025. If they weren’t spending money, that would be one thing, but they are spending money, because John Middleton wants his fucking trophy back. What they need is the seven guys making at least $20 million to earn it when it counts. And no, they’re not getting any younger, but we can choose to be miserable about it or instead go Posidelphia and hope that 2024 lit a fire under their asses and that they come back on a mean streak this time.

If you want some things to feel good about in 2025, note that:

  • The Phillies have one of baseball’s best rotations and easily the best rotation in the division. Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, and Ranger Suarez when he comes back. The Mets and Braves just don’t have the starting pitching that the Phils do.
  • Bryce Harper is still Bryce Harper. 30 home runs, .898 OPS, another All-Star nod last season.
  • Hey, maybe Max Kepler turns out to be a good signing. Exciting? No, not really, but I’m old enough to remember when Zack Baun and Mekhi Becton didn’t move the needle.
  • Alec Bohm comes back a year older and wiser. If he can build on his 2024 first half, look out.
  • Rafael Marchan is here to spell J.T. Realmuto. They’re gonna have to pace the BCIB more than they ever have, but if they do it right, he’s going to be in good shape come October.
  • There will be some fluctuation in the leadoff spot. Maybe Topper stumbles into something good with Trea Turner clicking off the top, and Kyle Schwarber starts hitting two and three-run home runs instead of solo dingers.
  • Bryson Stott can’t be worse at the plate than he was last season… right?
  • The spring walk numbers were good, maybe that’s an indicator that we’ll finally see some plate discipline.

So on and so forth. Maybe the Phillies figure it out this year, or maybe they don’t. But we’ve got the entire spring and summer to jump off the wagon and be totally crestfallen, so we might as well start with some positivity instead of throwing in the towel before the first pitch is thrown. Go Phils.