MLB Executives Believe Phillies Could Be Team To Dethrone Los Angeles Dodgers

Could the Philadelphia Phillies be the team to dethrone the Los Angeles Dodgers?

Mar 4, 2025; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the second inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies were able to get off to a nice start in the 2025 campaign with an extra innings win over the Washington Nationals. 

Coming into the campaign, expectations are once again high for the Phillies. The team was largely able to remain intact, and they also made a few nice upgrades this winter. 

Now, after a disappointing end to the year, Philadelphia will be hoping to have a great regular season and make a run in the playoffs. 

Like last year, the National League appears to be loaded on paper. Including the Phillies, three teams from the National League East alone could make the postseason. 

With competition being so tough in the league, Philadelphia will have to be focused right from the start and carry it through the long campaign. 

However, for them, the end goal should be to make it back to the World Series. Furthermore, there is a giant out West that might stand in their way, and that is the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Jesse Rodgers of ESPN.com (paid subscription required) recently spoke with MLB executives and scouts about who could dethrone the Dodgers. 

Of the 18 polled, five of them believe that the Phillies can be that team. Here’s what one National League executive had to say. 

"The Phillies have been knocking on the door, will add at deadline and have a good amount of star power with proven vets at the top of the rotation," 

While Philadelphia might have had a good offseason, the Dodgers had a great one. Despite winning the World Series, the argument could be made that this year's version of Los Angeles is going to be even better. 

However, anything can happen in baseball early on in the postseason, and the Dodgers were almost beaten by the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series last year. 

As the two best teams in the NL last campaign, it did feel like Los Angeles and the Phillies were destined to meet in the National League Championship Series. However, the New York Mets had other plans and were able to eliminate Philadelphia. 

This year, the Phillies are certainly a threat to the Dodgers as one of the more complete teams in the league. 

However, while Philadelphia is complete, their greatest strength is their starting rotation. A good rotation could be a great equalizer in a potential postseason matchup, and the Phillies have the high-end talent to go toe-to-toe with Los Angeles. 

While it won't be easy, Philadelphia should definitely be considered a threat to the Dodgers come October. 

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