3 worrisome truths about the 2024 Phillies that should have fans fuming
Despite the star-studded roster, these hard truths about a Phillies team that blew its shot in 2024 might have fans pulling their hair out again in 2025.
The Philadelphia Phillies had high expectations heading into 2024 after two straight playoff appearances, including a trip to the World Series in 2022. The roster was one of the most talented rosters in Major League Baseball, and it seemed like 2024 could finally be their year.
The Phillies got off to a hot start to the season. Bryce Harper was playing at an MVP level, the starting rotation had three legitimate Cy Young candidates with Aaron Nola not too far out of the picture and the team was consistently at the top of the league-wide standings.
The baseball world is still trying to figure out what happened to the Phillies after the All-Star break. They were a .500 team in the second half of the season and the struggles carried into the playoffs that ultimately led to a first-round exit in the NLDS.
Despite having a star-studded roster, these hard truths about this talented Phillies team that blew their shot at the World Series in 2024 might have fans pulling their hair out again in 2025.
Get used to this Phillies offense
The Phillies invested a lot of “stupid money” into the offense over the years. Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, Trea Turner and J.T. Realmuto will all be back in 2025. Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott will likely remain in the lineup despite their struggles in 2024. The outfield situation is up in the air heading into 2025, but it will likely feature the same players.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has already stated that the organization isn’t necessarily looking to add any stars in free agency. Don’t get your hopes up for superstar outfielder Juan Soto who’s projected to receive a $700 million contract.
The Phillies could add a veteran outfielder to create some competition for Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas and Austin Hays. There’s also a chance top outfield prospect Justin Crawford could fight for a spot on the 26-man roster. The 20-year-old was drafted in 2022, but he’s flying through the minor league system with success.
The Phillies’ offense went cold when it mattered most, but don’t expect the lineup to drastically change in 2025. The stars on the team need to put 2024 behind them and live up to their expectations. Phillies fans are praying that the offense will put together better at-bats and cut down on chasing pitches out of the zone, something that plagued them in 2024.
This year's Phillies team wasted one of the best rotations
The Phillies went into the 2024 season knowing they had one of the top 1-2 starting pitching duos in the majors. Zack Wheeler and Nola are the aces of the staff and have been for years.
Ranger Suárez showed promising signs as a starting pitcher in 2022 and 2023, so the organization hoped to see further improvement in 2024. The left-hander exceeded expectations and established himself as a Cy Young favorite through June 25. He was 10-2 with a 1.83 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 99 strikeouts and opposing batters were hitting just .199 against him.
Suárez struggled for the rest of the season and missed about a month with a back injury. He finished the season with a 12-8 record, 3.46 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 150 2/3 innings pitched.
The pleasant surprise in the Phillies starting rotation was Cristopher Sánchez. The 27-year-old was entering his fourth season with the Phillies after not being anything more than a reliever and spot starter in the past.
Sánchez enjoyed a breakout season in 2024 in which the lefty was named to the first All-Star Game of his career and was nominated for All-MLB honors. He owned an 11-9 record with a 3.32 ERA and allowed only 11 home runs in 31 starts. Sánchez tossed two complete games, including a complete game shutout on June 28 against the Miami Marlins.
The Phillies rewarded Sánchez with a four-year extension for his impressive season.
The Phillies starting rotation ranked third in fWAR and was tied for the sixth-lowest ERA in 2024. It was a dominant rotation even with Suárez’s struggles and the abysmal No. 5 starter spot. There’s a chance Wheeler wins the Cy Young Award, but it seems like Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale might have the edge over him.
The most important thing was that the Phillies avoided serious injury to Wheeler, Nola and Sánchez. The team’s three best pitchers were able to stay relatively healthy and perform at a high level.
Not every team is fortunate enough to have a starting rotation like the Phillies. The Phillies hadn’t had a rotation like this since the “Four Aces” in 2011. The organization can’t help but feel disappointed for wasting one of the best rotations in baseball.
The core is only getting older
As previously mentioned, the Phillies core will return in 2025. The issue is that Harper, Schwarber, Castellanos, Turner and Realmuto are only getting older. Turner and Schwarber are the youngest of the core at 31 years old.
The Phillies spent all that money on the core group with hopes of winning a World Series championship. Harper and Turner will be around for many more years, but the other three players are nearing the end of their contracts.
The time to win is now. The championship window on this core group is slamming shut. The 2025 season could be the last time those five players take the field together with the Phillies. Schwarber and Realmuto will both be free agents at the end of next season and given their age, the Phillies may opt to move on from them.
The Phillies made the World Series in 2022. They were eliminated in the NLCS in 2023. The red-hot New York Mets sent them home early in the NLDS in 2024. The Phillies need to find a way to fix the issues that led to the early exit in 2024 and get back to the World Series.
Barring something crazy, the core will be back next season and the lineup will remain the same. Fans wanted to see some change, but that’s unlikely with the coaching staff returning and the front office having no plans of making any major moves to the lineup.
The Phillies will always be competitive while Harper is on the roster, but 2025 might be the best chance to bring the trophy home to the City of Brotherly Love until a new core is established. Luckily for the Phillies, the future looks bright with Crawford, Aidan Miller, Andrew Painter and others knocking on the door of the big leagues.
The 2024 season was a disappointment and there’s really no other way to describe it. The Phillies have a talented roster and can compete with elite teams like the New York Yankees and 2024 World Series champions Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s up to the coaching staff and the players to make adjustments and head into 2025 with one goal in mind: a World Series championship.
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