The Washington Nationals haven't been very relevant in recent years, but they raised a few eyebrows around the sport last week when they announced the hiring of 33-year-old Blake Butera as their new manager. It was a notable development, as Butera became the youngest MLB manager in over 50 years and will be younger than dozens of active players in the league next season.
While the age of 33 is the prime of life in most forums, it is pretty "long in the tooth" for a professional athlete, of course. For the Philadelphia Phillies, one of the more veteran teams in the league, almost all of their players still fall short of this age. But they do have a few, although that number may adjust this offseason. So, who on the Phillies fits the bill of being older than a rival manager in their division?
Phillies feature three players who are actually older than new Nationals manager Blake Butera
Butera was born on Aug. 7, 1992. It was a year that brought us the Barcelona Olympics, Hurricane Andrew wreaking havoc in Florida, Bill Clinton winning the presidency, and a lousy 70-92 season from the Phillies. In the grand scheme of things, it seems a lifetime away.
But most people can remember those times, and for a current MLB manager to have been born in that year seems kind of wild in 2025. I mean, many of us recall Tommy Lasorda managing when we were younger, and he was born in 1927! Baseball truly spans generations, and these current Phillies can claim to be older than the incoming Nats manager.
Tanner Banks, 34
Tanner Banks, born on Oct. 24, 1991, is the elder statesman on the Phillies roster at this time. It was a long and winding road to the majors for Banks, who didn't make his big league debut until after he turned 30.
He has firmly established himself as an important part of the Phillies' bullpen over the past two seasons since he was acquired from the White Sox at the 2024 trade deadline. Banks has a chance of remaining the oldest player on the team next season, with one big exception that we'll get to.
Matt Strahm, 33
Matt Strahm comes next on the list of aged Phils, having been born on Nov. 12, 1991. He's eight months older than Butera. Strahm has enjoyed three very good seasons for the Phillies, although he's experienced a few hiccups in the playoffs along the way.
Still, he won't be going anywhere this offseason, and the Phillies value having him and Banks as a solid 1-2 southpaw combo out of the bullpen. Expect him to throw plenty of pitches against James Wood, CJ Abrams and Butera's other left-handed Nationals hitters next season.
"I've got cardigan sweaters older than him." 😂
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 31, 2025
Steve Phillips discusses the Nationals reportedly hiring Blake Butera as their newest manager and how he can impact their young core. pic.twitter.com/qBHiFX46rp
Nick Castellanos, 33
Nick Castellanos is the third and final Phillies player currently under contract that meets the criteria, having been born some five months before Butera on March 4, 1992. Don't count on this being the case for long, however, as rumors swirl more and more about the Phillies trying to somehow offload the final year of his contract onto another team this offseason. For now, however, Castellanos is the only Phils hitter who took his first breath before the new Nationals skipper.
Just missed the cut
Several other Phillies that you may have been thinking of came close but didn't make it. Trea Turner was born on June 30, 1993, making him just eleven months younger than Butera. Aaron Nola (June 4, 1993) and Garrett Stubbs (May 26, 1993) were closer still.
Bryce Harper, despite 14 full seasons in the big leagues, was born on Oct. 16, 1992, two months after Butera. And then there's Taijuan Walker. The much maligned but surprisingly effective (in 2025) Phillies hurler was born on Aug. 13, 1992. Blake Butera is six days older than him. And that's the whole list, except...
A special note
When you talk about current Phillies, you can't include players who have now reached free agency, and the Phillies have a pair of big ones. Kyle Schwarber was born March 5, 1993, so he remains junior to Butera no matter what team ends up signing him.
J.T. Realmuto, however, is the oldest player we've discussed so far. Realmuto was born on March 18, 1991, making him a whopping 17 months older than Butera. So, should the Phillies bring J.T. back once again, he'll join Banks, Strahm and Castellanos (although probably not) on the list of active Phillies players who are older than opposing manager Blake Butera. That is, until the team signs David Robertson for the umpteenth time.