The Philadelphia Phillies have already shocked the MLB world by making it to the NLCS. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets stole NL East headlines all season long, but the Phillies have out-lasted them in 2022. The same can be said for the San Diego Padres, who stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. The Phillies-Padres NLCS projects to be an exciting one, but Philadelphia might have the upper-hand.
Let's take a look at 3 reasons why the Phillies will win not just the NLCS, but the World Series in 2022.
Phillies' Steady Bullpen
Baseball fans don't associate the Phillies with having a lights out bullpen. But they feature a sneaky good relief core. Their bullpen played a pivotal role in upsetting the Braves and will continue to be a major factor in their success moving forward.
The reemergence of Seranthony Dominguez has been a treasure for Philadelphia. The right-hander pitched to the tune of a 3.00 ERA during the regular season and has yet to surrender a run during the MLB Playoffs.
The remainder of the bullpen is good enough to give this ball club an opportunity to win moving forward.
Powerful Phillies' lineup
The Phillies are known for their powerful lineup. And there is no question that Philadelphia's offensive production was key in defeating the Braves during the NLDS. The Phillies posted 7 or more runs in each of their victories against Atlanta.
Bryce Harper led the charge while the rest of the lineup featured no shortage of pop. Brandon Marsh, Rhys Hoskins, JT Realmuto, and others all got in on the action. Their lineup's mixture of talented right-handed and left-handed bats provides a nightmare for opposing managers. Trying to navigate through the Phillies' deep lineup is one of the most challenging jobs in the game right now.
The Padres' pitching staff has been impressive. And which ever team emerges from the American League will also feature an enticing pitching staff. But Philadelphia's offense is going to cause havoc. They simply have too many bats to consistently get shut down.
Top-end of the Phillies' rotation
The Phillies starting rotation is not the best in baseball. In fact, it is arguably the worst starting rotation remaining in the MLB Playoffs. But their top-end duo of Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler is arguably the best pitching duo remaining in the postseason.
Nola and Wheeler both have Cy Young cases and have carried their success into the playoffs. Wheeler struggled a bit against Atlanta but still pitched well for the most part. Meanwhile, the Phillies believe Aaron Nola has what it takes to lead them.
Nola finished the season with a 3.25 ERA, while Wheeler posted a 2.82 ERA. Both pitchers are going to give the Phillies chances to win.
Final thoughts
The Phillies are still not favored to win the World Series. But their roster features the key ingredients for a Fall Classic run. Their elite front-end of the rotation is nothing short of dynamic, the bullpen is capable, and the offense is impressive. Pitching is often regarded as the most important aspect of a World Series winning team, but offense cannot be ignored.
Philadelphia's greatest weakness stems from their questionable defense. But the rest of the Phillies roster should be able to help them overcome their defensive woes.
The Phillies might just shock the world and win it all in 2022.