Biggest Takeaways From Philadelphia Phillies Opening Series Against Braves

The Philadelphia Phillies were able to overcome some struggles to get their first win of the season. Here are the biggest takeaways that came out of the opener.

Mar 31, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) reacts after striking out to end the 5th inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies were able to get their first win of the season in the final game of the opening series against their archrival Atlanta Braves.

They had to come from behind to make that happen after it looked like this might be one of the most disappointing starts to the year that they could have imagined. All things considered, getting out of the opener with a 1-2 record, based on the way things were going, is a huge win for the Phillies.

Heading into their next three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at home, here are the biggest takeaways for Philadelphia coming out of their matchup against the Braves.

Stars Were Quiet

With how much star power is littered throughout the lineup, they did not have a good showing. Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, and J.T. Realmuto combined to go 11-50 with only five RBI, completely getting outshined by Atlanta's stars.

Of course it's early, but that was not what anyone expected out of this group who came into the year healthy and ready to perform.

Major Pitching Concerns

It was celebrated when Aaron Nola signed his seven-year, $172 million deal in the offseason. After Zack Wheeler signed his extension later, the Phillies kept one of the best one-two starting punches at the top of their rotation for years to come.

But, after Nola had some struggles throughout the 2023 regular season, there was concern about how he might perform this year. Giving up seven earned runs on 12 hits, including two homers, during his 4 1/3 innings of work was not what Philadelphia was hoping to see out of their ace.

Nola's shocking outing wasn't even the most concerning thing from their pitching staff.

After the bullpen had the seventh-best ERA in 2023 with a 3.58, they gave up 15 earned runs through three games, costing them Opening Day after Wheeler had thrown a gem.

When Orion Kerkering eventually gets called back up, that should help the relief staff by giving manager Rob Thomson another high-end arm to use in important situations.

Youngsters Are Shining

Despite the star players getting off to a slow start, the youngsters came to play early on.

Bryson Stott is 4-9 with two RBI. Alec Bohm has also driven in two runs while going 4-12 from the plate. Brandon Marsh already has a homer and has two RBI of his own.

Last year the young players had to carry the team for the early portion, something they were hoping to avoid in 2024. But, it's still a good sign that they continue to improve, making this offensive lineup an even greater threat.