Who makes the cut for Phils’ 2023 Opening Day roster?
PHILADELPHIA — The tiki pavilion at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla., ought to have just a little extra verve this spring.
The Phillies not solely open Spring Training as 2022 National League champions, they arrive to camp after making a number of notable offseason acquisitions to spice up their probabilities to repeat. In truth, they made so many offseason strikes that there would possibly solely be 4 jobs up for grabs this spring: two bench, one starter and one reliever.
Here is MLB.com’s first stab on the 2023 Opening Day roster (bear in mind, Bryce Harper will open the season on the IL following Tommy John surgical procedure in November):
Catchers (2): J.T. Realmuto and Garrett Stubbs
Realmuto is the most effective catcher in baseball, in accordance with Johnny Bench and others. Stubbs posted 1.1 WAR as a batter as Realmuto’s backup, making him the best Phillies backup catcher (150 or fewer plate appearances) since Todd Pratt (1.3 WAR) in 2002.
First base (2): Rhys Hoskins and Darick Hall
Hoskins has been one in every of baseball’s best hitters since his MLB debut on Aug. 10, 2017. Hall makes the primary reduce for one of many remaining two bench jobs as a result of he carried out properly because the crew’s DH for a couple of month final summer season whereas Harper recovered from a damaged left thumb. Hall batted .250 with eight doubles, one triple, 9 residence runs, 16 RBIs and a .804 OPS in 142 plate appearances.
Second base (1): Bryson Stott
Stott slashed .286/.338/.418 from Aug. 4 — when the Phillies launched Didi Gregorius to make Stott an on a regular basis participant — by way of the tip of the common season. Similar manufacturing can be greater than welcomed on the backside of the lineup.
Shortstop (1): Trea Turner
The solely query about Turner is the place supervisor Rob Thomson locations him within the lineup? Thomson hinted he might hit Turner second to begin the season, whereas Harper recovers from Tommy John surgical procedure. Turner might hit first after that.
Third base (1): Alec Bohm
Bohm slashed .293/.326/.422 with a .748 OPS from June 5 by way of the tip of the common season. The Phillies imagine there’s extra within the tank offensively.
Utility infielders (2): Josh Harrison and Edmundo Sosa
Harrison and Sosa, like Stubbs, are locks to make the bench. Both are versatile. Both have huge league contracts.
Outfielders (4): Nick Castellanos, Dalton Guthrie, Brandon Marsh and Kyle Schwarber
Castellanos, Schwarber and Marsh are the on a regular basis outfielders, which isn’t a shock. Guthrie will get the early nod for one of many remaining two bench jobs due to his spectacular play late within the season. He performed so properly, in actual fact, that he even appeared on the Phillies’ NLDS and NLCS rosters.
Starting pitchers (5): Aaron Nola, Andrew Painter, Ranger Suárez, Taijuan Walker and Zack Wheeler
Everybody on the earth is aware of the primary 4 spots are locks with Wheeler, Nola, Suárez and Walker, assuming everyone is wholesome. The No. 5 spot? It is well essentially the most intriguing roster battle this spring. Bailey Falter, Cristopher Sánchez and Painter are the highest three opponents. Painter, who turns 20 on April 10, will get the nod right here due to his stuff and since it could be enjoyable to see the Phillies begin their first teenager in a sport since Mark Davis on Oct. 5, 1980. But don’t sleep on Falter or Sánchez. Falter pitched properly sufficient down the stretch (6-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his remaining 9 begins) that he bumped Noah Syndergaard from the rotation.
Relief pitchers (8): José Alvarado, Andrew Bellatti, Connor Brogdon, Seranthony Domínguez, Bailey Falter, Craig Kimbrel, Gregory Soto and Matt Strahm
It seems like seven of eight bullpen jobs are locked up. It leaves the potential runners-up for the No. 5 starter’s job (Falter and Sánchez), Nick Nelson, Yunior Marte, Luis Ortiz, Michael Plassmeyer, Erich Uelmen and Andrew Vasquez as 40-man roster gamers in competition for the ultimate bullpen job.
