5 key Phillies storylines to follow as season gets underway

Phillies will be tested early in the National League East

The first 13 games of the season are all against the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. This can be a challenge for a team like the Phillies still figuring things out. You always want to start strong.

Luckily, the schedule does get easier afterward, but it will be very important to see how good the Phillies are right out of the gate.

How does this team play against some of the top teams in baseball? As a fan, you will either feel terrified or excited. Either way, it’s not a feeling you get too often early in the regular season.

Former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler returns to Citizens Bank Park

From April 19-21, the Phillies come back home to play the Giants in a three-game series. This isn’t that important in all reality, but it is the first time former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler comes back to Philly.

Kapler was supposed to be the “new school” manager the Phillies needed that former general manager Matt Klentak brought in. Kapler struggled in his tenure, going 80-82 and then 81-81. The fans never bought into Kapler and it really hurt him.

After the 2019 season, Kapler was fired and Joe Girardi was brought in, as the Phillies felt they needed an experienced manager. Now, both will face each other for the first time with their new teams — in Philadelphia. Expect to see some boos when Kapler has to take a pitcher out, or pretty much any time he leaves the dugout for that matter.

It will be one of the first times baseball realizes fans are back and no other way to do that than with Phillies fans booing.