2 former Phillies failing miserably in spring training, 2 who are dominating

When it comes to the many new faces on the roster of the Philadelphia Phillies this year, so far, for the most part, they have done admirably in their first run with the club in spring training. Max Kepler has been raking it at the plate, while bullpen stalwarts Jordan Romano and Joe Ross have been shutting the opposition down with ease. Jesús Luzardo may have had a couple of rough starts, including the disaster against the Detroit Tigers, but he has also looked good in his other spring outings.

However, if we take a peek at some former Phillies players scattered around the league and how their springs have been going, it's somewhat of a mixed bag. Some are flourishing, and some are floundering. Let’s take a closer look at two former Phillies who have been failing miserably in spring training and two others who have been flat-out dominant to date.

2 former Phillies failing miserably in spring training, 2 who are dominating 

Gregory Soto is failing miserably

Acquired by the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline from the Phillies last season, Gregory Soto probably thought his return to the American League could help him rediscover his prior All-Star form when he was with the Detroit Tigers. However, he struggled to a 5.09 ERA and 1.53 WHIP down the stretch with the Orioles.

This spring, things haven’t gotten any better for Soto. Heading into Saturday’s action, he had compiled an 0-1 record with a gaudy 6.00 ERA and 1.67 WHIP, giving up four earned runs on eight hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in just six innings over six relief appearances. The 30-year-old veteran will need to start turning things around soon before he loses his hold on a roster spot for a serious contender like the Orioles.

Seranthony Domínguez is failing miserably

As for Seranthony Domínguez, let’s just say he's making Soto look like Cy Young based on his accumulated results thus far this spring. He may have become the Orioles’ trusted closer down the stretch after being dealt by the Phillies at the 2024 trade deadline, but Domínguez has been a complete disaster during the 2025 preseason, making them seriously wonder if they should have actually kept Craig Kimbrel instead.

In six relief appearances, the 30-year-old reliever has amassed an 0-1 record with a horrific 19.50 ERA and 3.33 WHIP, giving up a whopping 13 earned runs on 15 hits, including five home runs, along with five walks and 11 strikeouts in just six innings of action. The strikeout rate of close to two batters per inning sure sounds great, but it's quite obvious that he hasn’t been missing the plate much, as opposing batters have been teeing off of him like batting practice. Domínguez will need to be drastically better and make the right adjustments soon, or else his spot on the Orioles’ Opening Day roster could suddenly be in serious jeopardy.

Austin Hays is dominating

But not all former Phillies have been having forgettable springs. Take, for instance, last year’s trade deadline acquisition of Austin Hays. After an uninspiring short tenure with Philadelphia, he was let go by the club upon the conclusion of the 2024 season. Hays ultimately found a new home with the Cincinnati Reds this offseason with hopes of bouncing back from his miserable 2024 campaign.

If his performance so far this spring is any indication of how he will perform during the regular season, he's well on his way to resurrecting his career. Hays has put up a sparkling .308 batting average and 1.064 OPS, with six runs scored, two doubles, two triples, three home runs and a whopping 12 RBI in just 15 games. Currently coming off back-to-back multi-hit games against the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox, there seems to be no slowing down the determined freight train as he marches full speed ahead.

Rhys Hoskins is dominating

Finally, we have our former Phillies fan favorite Rhys Hoskins. Phillies fans may already be sorely missing him from the past couple of seasons, but with his eye-popping performance in spring training, they will no doubt miss him even more and perhaps wish they could have him back. 

Hoskins has been absolutely locked in at the plate. Heading into Saturday’s action, he has a stellar .314 batting average and 1.244 OPS, with 10 runs scored, six home runs, nine RBI, six walks and nine strikeouts in just 13 games with the Milwaukee Brewers. Basically, more than half of his hits have gone for home runs while maintaining relatively solid discipline at the plate at the same time. With Hoskins really feeling it now and with his power finally back, he appears all geared up for a big 2025 campaign.

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