Last week we learned that former Philadelphia Phillies legend Jimmy Rollins will be the next player inducted into the team’s Wall of Fame. He will become the second player from the 2008 team to receive this recognition alongside Pat Burrell.
Rollins will receive the honor alongside former general manager Ed Wade on Aug. 1 prior to that night’s 6:45 p.m. ET matchup against the Detroit Tigers. With the former MVP receiving one of the team’s highest honors, it’s not too early to look ahead at the next crop of Phillies legends who should be inducted in the near future.
Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels need to be the next players inducted into Phillies Wall of Fame after Jimmy Rollins
With the organization finally showing love to the 2008 World Series championship team, it's only a matter of time before franchise greats Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels are also enshrined in Ashburn Alley as members of the Phillies Wall of Fame.
Howard, 45, was drafted in the fifth round by the Phillies in the 2001 MLB Draft. He spent 12 years with the club from 2004-2016 and mashed 382 home runs to go along with 1,194 RBI in 1,572 games.
Howard was a three-time All-Star, a three-time RBI leader, a two-time home run leader and the 2006 NL MVP. He put up a monster season that year, in which he hit 58 home runs to go along with 149 RBI and a .313 average in 159 games.
He was a pivotal part of the 2008 championship squad as he hit .286 with three home runs and six RBI while posting a 1.137 OPS in 21 at-bats as he helped lead the team to their first title in 28 years.
Utley, 46, spent 13 of his 16 professional seasons in Philadelphia, becoming the best second baseman to ever put on a Phillies uniform in the process. He was a six-time All-Star, a four-time Silver Slugger and finished in the top 10 of the MVP voting three times.
In 1,937 games between the Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Utley hit .275 with 259 home runs and 1,025 RBI. While he was a force at the plate, his defensive ability was top-notch as well, as he finished his career with 126 defensive runs saved, which ranks second all-time at the second base position.
Last but not least, Hamels made his mark in Phillies history in 2008 when he was named the World Series MVP for the team’s second title. The San Diego southpaw spent 10 seasons with the Phillies from 2006 to 2015, posting a record of 114-90 to go along with an ERA of 3.30 and 1,844 strikeouts in 295 games.
He ended his career in Philadelphia on a high note in 2015 when he threw a no-hit shutout in his final game with the team before he was traded to the Texas Rangers at the deadline. He went on to pitch with the Rangers, Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves and added 49 more wins to his resume before officially retiring last season. Hamels ranks in the top 10 in Phillies history in several categories, including wins (6th), strikeouts (3rd) and WAR (4th).
With Rollins officially set to take his rightful place on the Phillies Wall of Fame, the stage is now set for the next generation of franchise legends to be honored. As the Phillies continue to honor the 2008 World Series championship team, fans can hopefully look forward to seeing Howard, Utley and Hamels enshrined in Ashburn Alley in the coming years.