The Philadelphia Phillies brought back the majority of their roster from last season. By doing so, the Phillies did not have many storylines or position battles coming into their camp this spring. After two and a half weeks’ worth of Spring Training games under their belt and a few bumps and bruises, they find themselves with a few more decisions to make.
Until Weston Wilson suffered an injury on a swing back on February 24, he was most likely going to fill one of the final bench spots. Now, he is out six weeks and will certainly start the season on the 10-day injured list. Matt Strahm’s status is also uncertain after what was described as a “shoulder impingement” in his throwing arm. He underwent an MRI and, per MLB.com‘s Todd Zolecki, it revealed no structural damage. Still, another guaranteed spot opens itself.
When figuring out how to fill the last few spots, there is plenty to consider. Performance, positional versatility, and keeping their depth available to them are all key factors. With those things in mind, let’s predict who will be 26 men to fill out the Opening Day roster.
Offense
There are a few things guaranteed about the roster before we even get into the players themselves. 13 hitters – 9 starters, a backup catcher, and three others – and 13 pitchers, five of whom will be starters and the rest will be bullpen. The starting 9, barring further injuries is already known.
- C – J.T. Realmuto
- 1B – Bryce Harper
- 2B – Bryson Stott
- 3B – Alec Bohm
- SS – Trea Turner
- LF – Max Kepler
- CF – Brandon Marsh
- RF – Nick Castellanos
- DH – Kyle Schwarber
Only one new face in the bunch. The most these men have to worry about is where they are going to hit in the order. For the rest, let’s start with the backup catcher. Backing up Realmuto is not like backing up most catchers in the league. He plays so much, and when healthy he’s one of the best hitters at the position in the game.
With minimal playing time available, you have to show you can perform in short stints. The two options – Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs – both have good arguments to be the man backing JT on opening day. Stubbs’ numbers stand out a bit more, hitting 385 (5-for-13) with two doubles, three RBIs, three walks, two strikeouts and a 1.067 OPS.
He’s also got an extended report with the pitching staff, as he’s held the backup job since 2022 and is famously the clubhouse DJ. However, he also has a minor league option – something Marchán doesn’t have. The former top prospect is hitting just .235 (4-for-17) with one extra-base hit entering Thursday. In a short stint on the major league roster last season, however, he impressed with the stick. Surprisingly, in a few limited runs at the top level, Marchán has slugged much better than he did in the minor leagues.
Prediction: While Stubbs’ hot spring deserves attention, I think the Phillies will take advantage of the flexibility they have and start the season with Rafael Marchán in the majors. With not much high-level depth behind these two, they won’t want to take the risk that they lose him to waivers – a risk that doesn’t exist with the Chief Vibes Officer.
Now the bench battle begins. Edmundo Sosa is a super utility guy who plays great defense across the infield, has started to play both center and left fields, and has performed well when called upon to start in the majors. With all this and the fact that he has no options remaining, he is a lock for Opening Day. With the two men just mentioned, that leaves just two bench spots.
Once assumed to be Wilson and Johan Rojas, it now needs a bit more thinking. Not only is Wilson not starting the season, but Rojas has been dealing with an injury of his own. The center fielder suffered a shoulder injury sliding into second base while playing in the Dominican Winter League playoffs.
“We’re just being precautionary, really,” manager Rob Thomson told reporters in Port Charlotte on Tuesday, Feb. 25. “It’s probably going to be another close to a week before he throws, but it’ll be a quick ramp-up I would think. And he’s getting plenty of at-bats.”
Those ABs have come exclusively at DH and he’s swung a hot bat, posting a .292 batting average with a .583 slugging percentage through nine games, but his value comes mostly from his glove work in center. Rojas is also a player with options remaining, meaning the Phillies can take their time while getting him more ABs in Triple-A to ensure he’s truly ready for the season instead of potentially rushing him. My guess? That’s exactly what the team does – take advantage of the versatility and get Rojas extra at-bats while you’re at it.
That leaves a few more options for the last few spots. Óscar Mercado, signed to a minor league deal, would be an option but he hasn’t lit the box score up in spring. He will probably require some time in the minors as well. Christian Arroyo, also on a minor league deal, has been impressive in spring at the plate while playing all over the infield and some outfield to boot. Despite that, his minor league contract status allows the Phillies to keep some depth without needing to change the 40-man roster and risk losing someone else.
My final Phillies bench predictions are two more utility guys that fans are familiar with – Buddy Kennedy and Kody Clemens. Both hitters can play corner outfield, if needed, but have much more experience in the infield. After getting time with the big league club last season, they both also are out of options so it goes back to the team’s desire to keep depth to help them survive the slog of the MLB season.
Kennedy has even gotten outfield workouts in with his neighbor, Mike Trout, in the off-season to prepare him for this possibility. Clemens has had clutch moments to help the team the last few seasons and they consider him a big-league talent – meaning they likely fear losing him on waivers.
Pitching Staff
There are a few more guarantees in the pitching department. Everyone knows the six starting pitchers are likely to make the team, especially the way that Taijuan Walker has pitched in Spring Training:
- Zack Wheeler
- Aaron Nola
- Cristopher Sánchez
- Ranger Suárez
- Jesús Luzardo
- Taijuan Walker
While Walker might end up in a long-man role, that wasn’t obvious coming into camp. With the signing of Joe Ross and the trade for Luzardo, there was a chance Walker might have been the odd man out. Now, after the injury to Strahm, some shifting is required.
For the bullpen, there are a few guarantees – whether they be from signings or past performance. Checking in on who should make it, barring any injury (minus Walker, as he is listed above):
- Jordan Romano (RHP)
- Orion Kerkering (RHP)
- José Alvarado (LHP)
- Joe Ross (RHP)
- Tanner Banks (LHP)
That means there would be two left-handers vs. three right-handers. With two spots to fill and Strahm not facing a lengthy absence as of yet, I feel you can fill them with either hand and just choose top performers. José Ruiz probably has the leg up for one of those spots after posting a 1.99 ERA in 22.2 innings after the All-Star break. That leaves just one opening.
For the final spot, I am going to go with Kyle Tyler. A righty who was claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins last season, he has thrown 6.2 innings across four games this spring to the tune of a 0.00 ERA. He has a few walks (4) and now a ton of strikeouts (4), but they seem to have enough faith in him to continue to give him looks out of the pen.
Phillies Opening Day Roster
Here are the official roundup predictions:
Offense: Catchers – J.T Realmuto, Rafael Marchán; First base – Bryce Harper; Second base – Bryson Stott; Third base – Alec Bohm; Shortstop – Trea Turner; Outfielders – Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, Max Kepler; Utility/Bench – Buddy Kennedy, Kody Clemens, Edmundo Sosa
Pitching: Starters – Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, Jesús Luzardo; Bullpen – Taijuan Walker, Kyle Tyler, José Ruiz, Tanner Banks, Joe Ross, Orion Kerkering, José Alvarado, Jordan Romano
Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
