The Phillies offense is strong, but will defense hold its own?

The Phillies have set themselves up for success entering the 2022 season. Having had their first winning record in a decade in the 2021 season, the Phillies are hoping to bounce back and make a run for the World Series playoffs this year. 

The Phils signed two notable players late this offseason, who add a lot of depth to the team’s offense. Left fielder Kyle Schwarber and right fielder Nick Castellanos are the additions who are playing alongside Rhys Hoskins, J.T. Realmuto, and Bryce Harper, who was his second MVP award last year. Last season, the Phils finished 7th in the National League (NL) in runs. There is hope that with the addition of Schwarber and Castellanos, they will be able to move up in the rankings. 

The NL has officially implemented the new rule of being able to have a designated hitter after holding out for 50 years. Phillies manager Joe Girardi will hopefully become more successful since he is used to this style of play. His previous team, the New York Yankees, played in the American League and had this rule.

Pitcher Zach Eflin finally made his way back onto the mound despite many setbacks like his knee surgery and contracted covid. He has had a good spring that is giving Phils fans hope for the season. Eflin is expected to pitch in the third game of the regular season, wanting to have a successful year since he is in the final year of his contract in Philadelphia. The expectation for games this season are going to be high scoring on both ends of the bat. 

Although Schwarber and Castellanos are weapons being added on the offensive side, there is still a huge lack of confidence in the team’s defense. There is hope that shortstop Didi Gregorius will be able to carry and help out in the outfield. In the 2021 season, the Phillies placed last in the league with -54 defensive runs. There is much speculation on whether or not the Phils will be able to win big and close games because of their defense. I expect the games the Phils lose to be very close solely due to the fact that their defense will not perform well enough. 

I think the Phils will have a winning record season once again with the help of weapons added to their offense, but it will need to make up for their defensive struggles. My prediction is an 82-80 record in the 2022 season.