As a team, the Philadelphia Phillies had an objectively successful year in 2023. They won 90 games, finished in the first Wild Card spot by six games, and though the outcome was not ideal, they appeared in a Game Seven in the NLCS.
That being said, it's fair to say that the team and the fans will agree they're disappointed with how the season ended and that it could have been better. A 162-game season inevitably has its ups and downs, but taking a step back and looking at the production of the individual players and the team reveals a great deal.
Each player goes into the start of the season with certain expectations from the team and for themselves. The bar is set at different levels for different players; the team can’t expect a player like Brandon Marsh to hit 40 home runs or a guy like Kyle Schwarber to win a Gold Glove.
But that being said, there are certain players coming into 2024 who should have their bar raised higher than it’s been in the past. Whether that’s because a particular player had a down year in 2023 or there’s just more that player can offer to the team, it’s time for the team to level set expectations.
The bulk of the roster is likely set, and so it will depend on the guys in the clubhouse to take their respective games to the next level if they want to bring home a World Series title.
Let’s take a look at some players whose bar should be raised for 2024.