Spring training has begun. Philadelphia Phillies pitchers and catchers reported to camp on Feb. 11 and had their first workout on Feb. 12.<\/p>\n
The Phillies will try to rebound from a disappointing finish to their 2024 season that ended in an early playoff exit in the NLDS. The organization had a rather quiet offseason, considering they were linked to multiple high-profile players, such as superstar outfielder Juan Soto.<\/p>\n
Phillies fans were hoping for more this offseason to give them hope after seeing their team regress each year during the postseason since the 2022 World Series appearance. It will be tough to knock off the 2024 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who were big spenders this offseason to improve an already loaded roster.<\/p>\n
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski spoke to reporters on Wednesday during the team\u2019s first official workout this spring at BayCare Ballpark.<\/p>\n
“Well, it’s never say never, but I’d be surprised if anything would happen of any significance at this point,\u201d Dombrowski told reporters about the free agents left on the market.<\/p>\n
The Phillies were in a tough situation this offseason regarding the luxury tax. They have one of the highest payrolls in baseball and all but secured breaking through the fourth luxury tax threshold with their offseason acquisitions. As a result, the organization will have to pay a 110 percent tax on all overages.<\/p>\n
The Phillies made four notable moves this offseason. They signed former Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano, former Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler and former Milwaukee Brewers swingman Joe Ross to one-year deals. Dombrowski acquired 27-year-old left-handed starter Jes\u00fas Luzardo from the Miami Marlins, who is under team control for the next two years.<\/p>\n
These weren\u2019t earth-shattering moves, but they\u2019re moves that should improve the team in areas that plagued them a season ago.<\/p>\n
Kepler gives them an everyday corner outfielder with proven power at the plate who also hit well against left-handed pitching in 2024. Luzardo should put an end to the No. 5 starter debacle and solidify the Phillies as one of the top starting rotations in Major League Baseball. Romano will look to bounce back from an injury-filled season and return to his All-Star form from 2022 to 2023, and Ross will look to take over a Spencer Turnbull-type role.<\/p>\n
The Phillies\u2019 lineup in 2025 could feature four to five left-handed hitters on any given day. The idea of adding a right-handed hitter has crossed fans\u2019 and Dombrowski\u2019s minds, but it doesn\u2019t seem like there will be a significant addition.<\/p>\n
“It’s an area we are open to,\u201d Dombrowski said about adding a right-handed hitter. \u201cI don’t anticipate giving anybody a big league contract in that regard, but I\u2019d be open to depth.”<\/p>\n
The Phillies\u2019 roster heading into the 2025 season is all but set, with possibly a handful of spots up for grabs. The idea of any significant signings during spring training is more of a dream than a reality.<\/p>\n Spring training has begun. Philadelphia Phillies pitchers and catchers reported to camp on Feb. 11 and had their first workout on Feb. 12. The Phillies will try<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":33788,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n