New Look Phillies Head Into 2018 Opening Day With Confidence

PHILADELPHIA, PA — For the first time in years, the Phillies head into Opening Day with realistic aspirations to play meaningful baseball through September. And with a little luck, October.

The Phillies begin the season on March 29 when they face the division rival Braves in Atlanta. They have a three game set there and another three with the Mets in New York before the home opener, which is against the Miami Marlins on Thursday, April 5 at 3:05 p.m. See the Phillies full schedule here.

As recently as last July, the notion that the Phillies would be playoff contenders in 2018 would’ve seemed absurd. The Phillies were, at that point, in the midst of their fifth consecutive losing season. Five years of rebuilding had brought them to baseball’s worst record, a horrific 28-58.

But then something happened. They traded away several veterans, and made several minor league call ups of long-touted prospects. Nick Williams established himself as a major league outfielder and possibly much more. Catcher Jorge Alfaro hit over .300. Cesar Hernandez remained quietly one of the best second basemen in baseball. Odubel Herrera regained his old form. Aaron Nola turned into a bona fide ace. And Rhys Hoskins...well, if you don’t know what Rhys Hoskins did last summer, here’s a quick refresher.

All in all, the team stormed to a 38-38 record in the second half of the season, including a 17-13 finish that was tied for eighth best, just below the elite tier of teams in the game.

This past winter, the Phillies added their burgeoning crop of young talent by signing several key veteran free agents. They bolstered their relief corps by bringing back All Star Pat Neshek (one of the players traded last summer) and Tommy Hunter for two years. They poached one of the Cleveland Indians’ most reliable hitters, first baseman Carlos Santana, and signed him to a three year deal. And then just a few weeks ago, the kicker: ace Jake Arrieta, the former Cy Young winner and World Series champ who has been one of the best starting pitchers in baseball over the last four years. He’ll be here for at least two years, and maybe as much as five.

What’s new for 2018

The Phillies have announced ace Aaron Nola as their Opening Day starter. It will be the first such honor of Nola's young career. Nola, just 24, is coming off a breakout campaign in 2017, pitching to a 3.54 ERA over 168 innings. The 7th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Nola has quickly become one of the most game’s most promising young pitchers, and could even be a dark horse in this year’s National League Cy Young race.

The team is spearheaded by new manager Gabe Kapler, who replaces Pete Mackanin. Kapler, 42, becomes one of the youngest managers in baseball. While he's never served as a big league manager before, he is known for his attention to analytics and nutrition, and has been touted as a potential managerial choice for years. He's a revolutionary choice not only for his age, but for his background: he came from the Dodgers system, where he served as head of player development and developed a reputation for his focus on nutrition and sabermetrics. This spring, Phillies players like Neshek have praised the “energy” which the youthful manager brings to the clubhouse.

The Phillies have a few intriguing interleague games of note on their schedule, if you're looking to catch a team you've never seen before. The Yankees and their ridiculous stable of power hitters come to town June 25 through June 27. The Red Sox will be here on June 14-15, the Rays April 13-15, the Orioles May 15-16, and the Blue Jays May 25-May 27.

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