Phillies Open Spring Training Camp: Can They Win In 2020?

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Spring is in the air in Philadelphia. And with the start of baseball season just more than five weeks away, the Phillies have flocked to their winter home for the start of training camp in Clearwater, Florida, with decidedly less local and national attention than was on them last year.

This week marks the one year anniversary of what was, at the time, the priciest contract ever signed in professional sports history. The Phillies had just signed superstar Bryce Harper to a 13-year, $330 million contract, shortly after swinging a trade for the best catcher in baseball J.T. Realmuto, and picking up two other former All Stars in Jean Segura and Andrew McCutchen.

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Picking up the pieces

The Harper hype never really died in Philadelphia, and maybe it never will, as Harper's signing was an exclamation mark on a new era of baseball in the city. It brought incredible, some might say impossible expectations with it, and the 2019 season failed to deliver. Numerous injuries derailed a Phillies team that spent much of the first half in first place, and strong seasons from Harper and Realmuto could not compensate for a lack of depth and a significant step back from the starting rotation.

It's true the Phillies didn't make as big a splash this winter as some fans hoped they would. But there is reason for hope. They undeniably did improve, they are healthy, they have new leadership in the form of World Series-winning manager Joe Girardi. And perhaps most importantly, their three big division rivals all took meaningful steps backwards over the winter.

Division rivals

The Mets added a few scattered pieces, including rotation and bullpen depth, but they lost new manager Carlos Beltran, who was fired before ever managing a game for his role in the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. They also lost their second best pitcher, Zack Wheeler, to the Phillies.

The Braves lost probably their second best starter, Dallas Keuchel, and replaced him with aging Phillies vet Cole Hamels. But Hamels is already injured again, and he'll start the season on the disabled list. In addition to the hit on their rotation, the Braves lost the power hitting Josh Donaldson, ultimately replacing his bat with the lower ceiling of free agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna.

The defending World Series champion Washington Nationals made a smattering of infield and bullpen additions, and resigned ace Stephen Strasburg. But they lost MVP candidate Anthony Rendon, and their offense is undoubtedly weaker.

Between the Mets (seemingly neverending) internal strife, and objectively weaker rosters than 2019 in Atlanta and Washington, there is an undeniably an opportunity for the Phillies in 2020.

Improvements made

Many Philly fans and most external observers see the Phillies as the 4th team in the division as things now stand. But even pessimists would have to admit the opening day 2020 Phillies are a far stronger team than the injury-depleted squad that finished the season last September.

On paper, though they are undoubtedly out of their primes, a healthy Jake Arrieta and Andrew McCutchen make the Phillies a much better team. After all, it wasn't until after McCutchen's ACL injury last year that the Phillies really began their plummet from the top of the league.

They've effectively replaced Cesar Hernandez with Didi Gregorious in the infield, and though Cesar served as one of the team's steadiest contributors for years, Gregorious comes with well-above offensive upside from the shortstop position.

Jean Segura has reportedly lost a significant amount of weight in the offseason, and a full healthy season could see a return to All Star form. As he shifts from short to second base, some of the pressure will be taken off of him defensively.

Most notably, Wheeler is a breakout-primed fireballing right hander who has his eyes set on a Cy Young-caliber season. The Phillies surely saw that potential in signing him to a five-year, $118 million contract; but even a reproduction of his 2019 numbers would give the Phillies a powerful one-two along with Aaron Nola.

Finally, super prospects Alec Bohm (third base) and Spencer Howard (starting pitcher) are expected to make their big league debuts this year. Both dominated through the Double A level in 2019, and if the Phillies ever want to make the leap from fringe contender to favorite, they'll need some of their youngest stars to pan out.

The Phillies first spring training game is scheduled for Feb. 22 against the Detroit Tigers. The Phillies regular season kicks off on March 26 against the Marlins in Miami; their home opener is April 2 against the Milwaukee Brewers.