The Philadelphia Phillies learned a harsh lesson in 2024: What they’ve been doing for years is no longer working.
Since the start of the decade, the Phillies have slowly built a roster full of as many superstars as any team not named the Los Angeles Dodgers as there is in Major League Baseball. With eight 2024 All-Stars at their disposal, the Phillies were pretty much setting and forgetting their lineups all season.
In the playoffs, though, the Phillies’ weaknesses were exposed. They couldn’t hit to save their lives in the National League Division Series, and the outfielders were as guilty as anyone. In fact, Philadelphia’s outfield was truthfully the only weakness of the lineup all season.
To reassert themselves as World Series contenders in 2025, the Phillies must add at least one more formidable bat to their outfield depth chart. Meghan Reilly of YardBarker named former Most Valuable Player Cody Bellinger of the Chicago Cubs as a hitter to watch for the Phillies this winter.
“Bellinger might be difficult to sign because he would need to opt out of his current contract with the Cubs first. In February, Chicago signed him to a three-year, $80M contract,” Reilly said.
“In 2024, Bellinger played in 130 games, tallied 18 home runs and 78 RBI and hit .266. The Phillies also need a player who can hit left-handed pitching well. Against lefties this season, Bellinger hit .298 with four home runs and 32 RBI.”
Bellinger’s contract projection, per Jim Bowden of The Athletic, is four years, $112 million. It’s tough to say whether the 2019 MVP will opt out of the final two years, $52.5 million he’s currently owed, in favor of the open market, because his career has been a roller coaster to this point.
Still only 29 years old, there are lots of productive years left in front of Bellinger if he can find his best form with a new team. And the Phillies, known for the good vibes in their clubhouse over the last few seasons, just might be that team.
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