Opening Day will get underway on Thursday afternoon as all 30 MLB teams will be in action across the country. The Philadelphia Phillies, who lost in the NLCS last season to the Arizona Diamondbacks, will open up the 2024 campaign against the Atlanta Braves.
The Phillies have had the Braves’ numbers in the last two postseasons, defeating them in the NLCS. The Phillies have expectations heading into this season, as fans expect nothing short of another deep run in the playoffs.
However, for the Phillies to return to the playoffs, they’ll need a few players to step their game up this year, or it might be their last in the city of Brotherly Love.
1. Connor Brogdon
The Phillies hope that the veteran relief pitcher can find some consistency on the mound, as they will need him with Orion Kerkering on the IL to start the season.
Last season, Brogdon bounced back and forth between the big league club and Triple-A (Lehigh Valley IronPigs). The 29-year-old reliever posted a career-worst 4.03 ERA with a 2-1 record in 27 appearances.
Brogdon allowed 29 hits, 13 earned runs (five home runs), 13 walks, and struck out 26 batters across 29 innings. The right-handed relief pitcher had a 5.15 FIP, which wasn’t great, and a .264 opponent batting average (career-worst).
In Spring Training, Brogdon got hit around a little bit as he allowed 10 hits and four earned runs (two home runs) in seven appearances. He also gave up six free passes but struck out seven with a 4.15 ERA.
The Phillies couldn’t send Brogdon down to the minor leagues, as he’s out of options. The next step would be designating him for assignment. Philly hopes they don’t have to go that route, as Brogdon has been a solid late-innings reliever for most of his career.
2. Taijuan Walker
It’s tough to put Walker on this list, as he’s only been with the Phillies for one season. However, fans weren’t happy with his performance on the mound and wanted them to sign Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery to replace him in the starting rotation.
The 31-year-old starting pitcher will begin the 2024 regular season on the 15-day IL list due to an impingement in his right shoulder. Therefore, the Phillies will get an up-close look at Spencer Turnbull, who signed a one-year deal with the team in the offseason.
Last season, Walker recorded a career-high 15 wins but had an ERA of 4.38 in 31 games. He posted 138 strikeouts in 172.2 innings but allowed 71 walks (career-high) and 20 home runs.
The Phillies signed Walker to a four-year, $72 million deal last offseason after a solid two-year stint with the New York Mets. Something tells me that Walker will bounce back this season after he returns from the injured list, but the pressure is on him to have quality starts at the back of the starting rotation.
3. Edmundo Sosa
The veteran infielder has been one of the better players off the bench for the Phillies over the last year, and some change.
However, Sosa didn’t have the best Spring Training this year, hitting .204 with two home runs and 18 RBI in 18 games.
The 28-year-old slugger didn’t walk a ton but had 19 strikeouts, which isn’t what you want to see. But Sosa is a solid defender who can play multiple positions, which helps him stick on the roster.
At the same time, the Phillies can’t afford for him to hit .204 in the regular season, which would be a huge dip in production from what he did last season (.251 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI). The Phillies also have another versatile player in Whit Merrifield, who is better offensively and can play in the outfield and at second base.
