DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Philadelphia Phillies once again have World Series aspirations in 2025, and seeds for a title run will have to be planted this spring.
Philadelphia boasts has a star-studded lineup and one of baseball’s top starting rotations, as has been the case for three years running. That core has come up in the playoffs each and every time, though, so something will have to change for the end result to be different.
Reporting live from spring training down in Florida, Fastball On SI staff writer Sam Connon broke down the three biggest questions hanging over the Rays midway through camp.
Can the new-look bullpen rise to the occasion?
The Phillies lost a pair of All-Star relievers to free agency this winter, with Jeff Hoffman going to the Toronto Blue Jays and Carlos Estévez heading to the Kansas City Royals.
Jordan Romano is set to take over as closer after getting non-tendered by the Toronto Blue Jays in November. The two-time All-Star put up a 2.29 ERA, 1.076 WHIP and 8.4 WAR between 2020 and 2023, but he had a 6.59 ERA, 1.463 WHIP and -0.3 WAR during an injury-plagued 2024 campaign.
Romano has yet to take the mound in the Grapefruit League, so it remains to be seen if he has his mojo back.
Elsewhere in the bullpen, Joe Ross will join returning veterans in José Alvarado, José Ruiz and Matt Strahm. 23-year-old Orion Kerkering is also fresh off a breakout rookie year.
And with Jesús Luzardo arriving via a trade with the Miami Marlins to claim a spot in Philadelphia’s rotation, Taijuan Walker is set to take on a long relief role. He posted a 7.10 ERA and -1.6 WAR in 2024, pushing the Phillies to make the move for Luzardo.
Walker gave up two hits and one earned run in his spring training debut Sunday against the Blue Jays, seeming to get back into a groove. If he can be good for long outings out of the bullpen every now and then, the Phillies’ other relievers may avoid taking on more than they can handle.
Romano asserting himself as the undoubted closer would do the same, giving Philadelphia the chance to lock everyone else into consistent roles.
Will Thomson actually try out a new leadoff hitter?
Kyle Schwarber has been dominating out of the Phillies’ leadoff spot for years now, but a change may be in the cards.
Manager Rob Thomson has left the door open to someone else taking over as his leadoff hitter in 2025. And while bumping Schwarber’s powerful bat down to the middle of the lineup would make sense, Thomson needs to land on a reliable replacement before making any moves.
Trea Turner could make the most sense as a leadoff hitter, as he hit .295 in 2024 and boasts a .296 batting average for his career. Turner was the Phillies’ leadoff man in their split squad spring training game against the Blue Jays on Sunday, so it’s clear that he is at least being considered.
In the 23 games he hit leadoff in 2022, Turner boasted a .337 batting average and .892 OPS. He filled that spot in the lineup 15 more times in 2023, only to hit .266 with a .674 OPS, so putting him in the position again in 2025 isn’t a no-doubter.
A speedster like Johan Rojas may be a fit, only he could lose his grip on a regular starting spot with Max Kepler coming in from the Minnesota Twins. Second baseman Bryson Stott is another option on the roster.
Who will claim the final bench spot?
In the early days of camp, it seemed like Weston Wilson would sneak onto the Phillies’ Opening Day roster.
However, the utility man suffered an oblique strain in February and his status for the start of the regular season is suddenly in doubt. It isn’t as if Wilson is a superstar, but he has been able to produce at a high level in his limited big league action.
Catcher Rafael Marchán, infielder Edmundo Sosa and outfielder Rojas appear to have bench spots locked down, leaving one opening if Wilson hits the injured list.
Initial reports suggested that Buddy Kennedy was the leading contender to make the cut, but he is hitting just .077 with a .508 OPS so far in spring training. Kody Clemens, on the other hand, is batting .308 with a .923 OPS after going 2-for-3 with a home run against the Blue Jays on Saturday.
Kennedy, 26, and Clemens, 28, can both play all over the field. How they perform at the plate could be the deciding factor as to who gets more time in the big leagues this season, and Clemens is certainly leading the race in that regard.