As spring training draws to a close, the Philadelphia Phillies are being put under a microscope as experts throw in their opinions about what the 2025 Phillies are going to be about.
Many start the timeline back in 2022 when Philadelphia fell to the Houston Astros in the World Series, starting a chain of unfortunate postseason events. The most recent of these events being the fall to the New York Mets in the 2024 NLDS.
Jayson Stark with The Athletic (subscription required) noted that there hasn’t been much buzz around the Phillies despite their spring victories; a fact that doesn’t play into regular season performance but goes to show the wave they are riding. The 2025 team could go either way.
With a legacy on the line, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski reflected on his team, imparting some brutally honest wisdom about what is at stake.
Without a World Championship title from this elite group, Dombrowski predicts that Philadelphia would have let something good slip from their grasp.
Dombrowski emphasizes that baseball fans remember winners, not teams that almost made it or even teams that could never make it. His hopes for his team remain the same: be apart of the creation of one of the greatest eras in Phillies history.
“Go back and try to remember who won the divisions throughout the years,” he said. “People don’t remember that very well. Who was the World Series loser? A lot of times they don’t remember that very well, either. But they remember who won the World Series. That’s just the way it is.”
Dombrowski only wants the best for his team knowing that he has a roster full of generational players willing and able to get the job done.
Hopes are still high for the rise of the Phillies. With the bigger picture in mind, Philadelphia has the strength and numbers to sit high in the win column at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign. Projections coming in from every angle are keeping the Phillies in a positive light, pushing for the early 2022 team to breakout once again and make their statement.
The biggest negative looming over the 2025 Philadelphia team is age. Their core talent is getting closer to reaching their 30s, something that could significantly slow the team down in terms of improvement. Many think this is the reason for all of the 2025 pressure.
A now or never situation for Philadelphia baseball could be what they need to push through their past postseason woes. The Phillies have climbed a tall mountain to come out without a ring, so this season could make or break the narrative for many of Philadelphia’s most valued veterans.