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The Philadelphia Phillies surprised the MLB world by advancing to the World Series in the 2022 season. They only earned 87 victories in the regular season and were heading into an early exit in the NL Wildcard. The Phillies upset both the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves in the postseason, and the fans were amazed by the fantastic combination of their power and pitching.
Even without Bryce Harper for the beginning of 2023, it is a pleasing sight for the incredible franchise. Trea Turner is one of the best signings in the offseason, and Philadelphia has locked him up for 11 years as the team's starting shortstop. Taijuan Walker will be a terrific upgrade from Noah Syndergaard as the third starter of Philadelphia. It is time for the Phillies to prove that the 2022 run was not a fluke, as they must address these key questions heading into Opening Day.
Who will blossom or break out during Harper's absence?
The designated hitter position can be an experiment for manager Rob Thomson at the early juncture of the season. In their slew of Spring Training games, Thomson has alternated almost all his guys at DH, so it is still a work in progress for him. The critical question mark without Bryce Harper is the offensive production lacking in the middle of the order.
Rhys Hoskins, J.T. Realmuto, and Kyle Schwarber will have the load on their shoulders as the main pieces of the team. Someone like Bryson Stott or Alec Bohm must step into a more prominent role, especially before the All-Star break. Schwarber and Nick Castellanos can be the primary options at DH because of their subpar defensive capabilities. Their outfield will be fine because they have utility options off the bench that can be inserted on some days.
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Will the Phillies bullpen hold up?
Entering the playoffs, the Phillies had one of the worst bullpens in baseball. It was a dicey situation, considered a glaring weakness for them. However, they answered all the doubts and thrived with their bullpen led by Jose Alvarado, Zach Eflin, and Seranthony Dominguez. Eflin is headed to Tampa Bay this season, so that hole will take a lot of work to fill for Thomson.
Alvarado and Dominguez will continue being the old reliables for the Phillies, so the challenge is sustaining the surge they had to end 2022. Craig Kimbrel and Matthew Strahm were the additions to their bullpen that will play a vital role in their success. Righties heavily dominate their bullpen, so let's see if that strategy will remain effective for the 162-game marathon.
What edge will they have over the Mets & Braves?
Even if they won the 2022 NL pennant, the Phillies were only third place in their division. The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves will continue being the favorites in the NL East, so it is inevitable for Philadelphia to squeak and discover holes to try and find the upper hand over these two powerhouses. One prominent edge is their core's postseason and World Series experience, as that is an immense edge over the Mets.
The Mets have Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, but they are aging stars compared to the duo of Aaron Nola and Zach Wheeler. Moreover, the closer situation with the Mets is an enormous question mark due to the season-ending injury to Edwin Diaz. On the Braves' side of things, it is essential to pound on them early, similar to how they did in their 2022 postseason matchup.
