Phillies: Ranking the best opening day lineups of 2010s
9. April 3, 2017
The Phillies entered the 2017 season with some momentum. In 2016, they had won eight more games than the previous season, and MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes, “the organization expects the future to be better because of a strong farm system and the potential of players already on the big league roster.”
As it turns out, three years later, hardly any of these players would amount to much long-term, other than Aaron Nola and Rhys Hoskins.
Maikel Franco has since departed for the Kansas City Royals; Odubel Herrera remains on the brink of being released following last year’s suspension; and right-handers Jerad Eickhoff and Vince Velasquez never panned out as starters, with the former now with the San Diego Padres.
Also, J.P. Crawford and Dylan Cozens are now with American League organizations, and Nick Williams is at the bottom of the Phillies’ outfielder depth chart.
Still, in 2017, some of these aforementioned players would contribute, such as Franco’s team-leading 24 home runs and 76 RBI, along with Herrera’s team-leading 42 doubles. Nonetheless, it would be far from enough, as the 2017 Phillies won just 66 games and finished last in the National League East.
One of those 66 wins came on Opening Day 2017.
- Cesar Hernandez, 2B
- Howie Kendrick, LF
- Odubel Herrera, CF
- Maikel Franco, 3B
- Michael Saunders, RF
- Tommy Joseph, 1B
- Cameron Rupp, C
- Freddy Galvis, SS
- Jeremy Hellickson, P
6. 3. 61. Final. 4
Behind veteran starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson, the Phillies got out to an early 3-0 lead after the first two innings. Cesar Hernandez began the game with a leadoff home run, and, later in the frame, Michael Saunders produced an RBI double to center field. One inning later, Freddy Galvis hit a homer of his own, giving the Phillies a three-run advantage.
Hellickson would allow only one run through five innings, a sacrifice fly RBI to Billy Hamilton. The Phillies tacked on an insurance run in the sixth, as the Phillies starter helped his own cause with an RBI triple to center field.
Jeanmar Gomez entered in the ninth with a 4-1 lead, and things would get interesting, as he surrendered a two-out, two-run home run to Scooter Gennett. He would get Hamilton to fly out the next batter, however, notching the Opening Day win for the Phillies.