5 Phillies who will make the 2024 Opening Day roster but might not last the season
By Edward Eng
As the Philadelphia Phillies look forward to their 2024 MLB season, their roster appears pretty much set, with most of their players returning from last season. Other than the departure of closer Craig Kimbrel, the bulk of the main players from the 2023 Opening Day roster is intact for this year.
However, that doesn’t mean that every player's spot on the 26-man roster is secure for the entire season. Here, we take a look at five Phillies players who will likely get a spot on the Opening Day roster but may not end up lasting the season with the ballclub.
Jake Cave
During the current offseason, the Phillies re-signed Jake Cave to a one-year, $1 million deal to bring him back for 2024. Last year, Cave saw time both in the minors and the majors with the Phillies organization after being claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles last offseason.
He produced some contrasting mixed results. In his time in the minor leagues, Cave was an unstoppable hitting machine as he compiled an eye-popping .346 batting average with a 1.113 OPS, along with 61 runs scored, 30 doubles, 16 home runs, and 49 RBI over just 59 games.
However, he couldn't translate his success in the minors to the major league level, which has been the case for much of his MLB career. In 2023 with the Phillies, he batted a dismal .212 with a .620 OPS, with 18 runs scored, eight doubles, five home runs, and 21 RBI in 65 games. Nevertheless, Cave made the postseason roster because of his power potential still in play. In the end, he just saw action in three playoff games as a pinch-hitter and registered one hit.
With Cave out of options for the 2024 season, the Phillies will likely begin the season with him on the roster and give him all the opportunities to thrive in their winning environment. But if he continues to struggle and underperform at the major league level, he may not last with the team through the season.