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.
More Phillies news and analysis:
This article was originally published on section215.com as 3 Phillies on Thin Ice Heading Into Opening Day.
News Related
-
Anyone who’s purchased gift baskets to hand out to loved ones this holiday season might need to find a backup present after the latest food recall that involves festive cookies. Gift basket company Wine Country Gift Baskets just announced that it is voluntarily recalling all gift baskets that feature Acorn Baking ...
See Details:
Recall Just Announced For Popular Cookies Featured In Holiday Gift Baskets
-
LOS ANGELES: Quarterback Jalen Hurts ran in an overtime touchdown to give the Philadelphia Eagles a 37-34 NFL win over the Buffalo Bills Sunday (Monday in Manila) and move them to 10-1 on the season. The Eagles, who lost the Super Bowl to Kansas City last season, trailed at half-time ...
See Details:
Eagles rally past Bills in overtime as Chiefs win
-
Yen Makabenta First word WHILE UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other promoters of the climate emergency are preparing to convene the 28th conference of the parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in the United Arab Emirates, starting on November 30 and stretching to December 12, ...
See Details:
Reality bites the green energy agenda
-
Sandigan orders Marcos Sr. pal to pay workers The Sandiganbayan has ordered the enforcement of a July 2023 ruling ordering a Marcos Sr. associate to pay a lumber company’s workers P2.1 million in damages as well as return 60 percent of their company’s shares and pay all unpaid benefits. The ...
See Details:
Sandigan orders Marcos Sr. pal to pay workers
-
DSWD: Shear line, LPA affect 1.2 million people; over 18,000 families evacuated MANILA, Philippines – More than 18,000 families have fled to evacuation centers across flood-affected regions in the country due to the impact of the shear line and low pressure area. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) gave ...
See Details:
DSWD: Shear line, LPA affect 1.2 million people; over 18,000 families evacuated
-
-
MANILA, Philippines: The entire Luzon, including Metro Manila, is expected to experience isolated rain showers and thunderstorms as the northeast monsoon (“amihan”) and easterlies will be affecting the country over the next 24 hours, the state-run weather agency said on Tuesday. Weather specialist Patrick del Mundo of the Philippine Atmospheric ...
See Details:
Rain showers, thunderstorms over Luzon, including Metro Manila — Pagasa
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
'Naruto' live-action film adaptation is in the works
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
NASA Highlights Stingray Nebula
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
Manila's Lagusnilad underpass opens
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
China probes debt-ridden financial giant
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
China's VUCA situation
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
Unraveling the mystery that is diabetes
-
Attention, Naruto fans! You can soon watch the famous anime’s live-action adaptation as it finally has a confirmed writer. According to a Variety report, the beloved manga and anime series is set to head to big screens for its live-action adaptation under Lionsgate. It will be written by Tasha Hao, ...
See Details:
Bangladesh's nuke plant is not going to steal PH investments
OTHER NEWS
ALIW Awards Foundation Inc. President Alice H. Reyes has released the names of finalists for the 2023 Aliw Awards to be presented on Dec. 11, 2023, at the Manila Hotel ...
Read more »
WhatsApp Web gains the feature of single-view photos and videos (Photo: Unsplash) The WhatsApp Web, the desktop version of the popular messaging app from Meta, has received an update allowing ...
Read more »
Young athletes’ time to shine in Siklab Awards MANILA, Philippines — The future heroes of Philippine sports will be honored during the third Siklab Youth Sports Awards on Dec. 4 ...
Read more »
Graphics by Jannielyn Ann Bigtas A local government official said Monday that five to 10 barangays in Northern Samar are still isolated following the massive flooding in the area last ...
Read more »
DyipPay app lets you pay jeepney fare, book tricycles “Barya lang po sa umaga.” Everyone who rides jeepneys knows this rule: it may not be an actual law, but it’s ...
Read more »
Updated In-Season Tournament Bracket ahead of pool play finale Tuesday will mark the last day of pool play for the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. From there, six first-place teams and ...
Read more »
PCG forms teams for maritime emergency response MANILA, Philippines — Recent incidents of fishermen lost in the waters off Southern Tagalog have prompted the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to form ...
Read more »