What a difference a year (or 2) makes. In the past 2 postseasons, the Philadelphia Phillies had to scratch and claw through a Wild Card round to make their push. In 2024, the Phillies added 5 more wins to their record from 2023 and won the National League East for the first time since 2011.
While the rosters don’t look very different, the results do. So, what’s changed for the Phillies?
Phillies Pitching
The Starters
Ignore the 5th starter in the rotation and the Phillies’ starting staff might be the best in the majors.
The ace of the staff, Zack Wheeler, had his best statistical season of his entire career. He posted a 2.57 ERA in exactly 200 innings. He led the league in WHIP with a 0.955 mark. Aaron Nola dropped his ERA from 4.46 to 3.57. He was consistent and the rock-solid #2 starter everyone knew he could be.
While his 2nd half was worrisome, Ranger Suárez became an All-Star for the first time in his career. He finished with a 3.46 ERA in just over 150 IP.
The biggest and most pleasant surprise of the season has to be the emergence of Cristopher Sánchez. He broke out in the 2nd half of 2023 but he cemented himself in 2024. He posted a 3.32 ERA in 181.2 IP (He only threw 149 IP between the minors and majors in ’23!). He, too, made his first All-Star Game.
“[Sánchez] gives us another quality starting pitcher that we feel good about 4 guys,” said President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski.
While other teams struggle to find more than 2 starters for the postseason, the Phillies have assembled 4 bonafide quality options in their rotation.
The Bullpen
One of the issues in the 2023 NLCS was the Phillies’ bullpen. From Craig Kimbrel to a rookie Orion Kerkering being thrown on the fire, that team had depth issues in its pen. In 2024, that weakness has been overcome.
“I think that our bullpen’s better, deeper,” Dombrowski said.
The Phillies march into the postseason with 4 relievers with an ERA under 3. Matt Strahm led the way with an outstanding 1.87 ERA. Jeff Hoffman was right behind with a 2.17 ERA. The aforementioned rookie Kerkering shined with a 2.29 ERA. Lastly, the Phillies acquired Carlos Estévez in July and he posted a 2.57 ERA for the Phillies.
On top of that, the Phillies have José Alvarado, José Ruiz, and Tanner Banks as added depth.
“For me, the bullpen took a giant step forward this year. From the 1st moment to the last, they were just consistent all year long,” said catcher JT Realmuto. “It was different guys every night. We didn’t have to use the same 3 guys. The depth of our bullpen was really good.”
The Bench
The depth isn’t just better in the bullpen. The bench has been upgraded considerably.
“We’re stronger, deeper overall,” said Dombrowski. “Particularly, some of them match up well pinch-hitting versus a left-handed pitcher or right-handed pitcher.”
In 2023, the Phillies’ best pinch-hit option was Jake Cave. He posted a .620 OPS in 2023. The bench in 2024 will feature Kody Clemens (.706 OPS), Weston Wilson (.836 OPS), and Austin Hays (.941 OPS against LHP).
The Phillies can mix and match in the outfield with their depth. They have options to optimize defense and options to maximize offense.
“You’re talking about a little bit that can make a difference,” emphasized Dombrowski.
The Time Off
While the bye has scared some fans, Phillies’ key players Trea Turner and JT Realmuto both talked about it positively.
“Just winning the division a little early and not feel like you’re fighting all the way to the end, you kind of had some time to rest and work on some stuff,” said Turner.
“For me, the biggest difference is having the bye,” said Realmuto. He mentioned the ability to “decompress from the season” and “get a little healthy” as to why the bye is beneficial.
With a veteran team on the field, the rest can do a world of good for the Phillies. They didn’t have to jump from city to city in a frantic last push to a NLDS.
