The Phillies Opening Day Roster is Finally Set

With the Opening Day roster decided, what expectations can be set and how does it differ from our original predictions to start the spring?

Jeff Fitzpatrick | Apr 5, 2022

Following one of the craziest offseasons in recent memory—including a league wide free agent spending spree followed by a two-month lockout and capped off with the Philadelphia Phillies exceeding the luxury tax—the Opening Day Roster is set.

According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the roster is as follows:

The Phillies have a roster. pic.twitter.com/vKIm2APYDd
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) April 5, 2022

After the signings of Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos, Inside the Phillies predicted what the roster could look like to start the season. From an offensive standpoint, there weren’t many jobs up for grabs. However, a few bench roles, including the backup catcher, were still under consideration.

Having one of the game's best catchers means that the backup catcher for the Phillies will have much more limited play time than other teams around the league. On the flip side, it's also important for the club to mitigate the drop off behind the plate when J.T. Realmuto needs a day off.

With Manager Joe Girardi commenting on his vision of Rafael Marchan as an everyday catcher, they’ll make sure he has that opportunity in the minors, that left Donny Sands and Garrett Stubbs to battle it out for the roster spot.

Inside the Phillies nailed this prediction, having Stubbs as the winner. Though he batted only .222 with one home run this spring, it was enough to edge out Sands’ .154 average.

More importantly, Stubbs has Major League experience, tallying 51 games over the last three years for a competitive Houston Astros team. Meanwhile, Sands remained buried at AAA in the New York Yankees organization. For a Philadelphia club expected to compete, any extra experience gives an edge.

The other two differences from our roster are both former top draft picks. Mickey Moniak swung a hot bat this spring for a .371 average with five home runs. Thus, the team opted to trade away our predicted bench outfielder, Adam Haseley.

With Haseley now a member of the Chicago White Sox, and Odúbel Herrera shelved on the injured list, Moniak took the opportunity and ran with it. Having made the roster, he’ll now look to push Matt Vierling for playing time in a platoon.

The last position player decision came down to a choice of prioritizing defensive help right now, or keeping the best interest for the long-term future of the organization. In our predictions, Nick Maton took the final job off the bench. Ultimately, Alec Bohm will still head north with the team as he looks to regain his NL Rookie of the Year runner-up form from 2020.

Alec Bohm digs Into the box in Clearwater. — Alec Bohm digs Into the box in Clearwater / Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Whether it be a desire for a right-handed bat off the bench when Vierling starts, or to ensure that Bohm is still working with major league coaching, one thing became clear: the Phillies still see a future for Bohm with the club. While Inside the Phillies’ number one prospect, Bryson Stott, also made the team this year, there are vacancies looming in the infield for 2023 with Didi Gregorius and Jean Segura ticketed for free agency.

We correctly made 11/13 predictions, the most notable choices being Stubbs winning the backup job and Stott breaking camp for a spot in the Opening Day lineup.

Since the offseason began, the starting rotation was the one unit already determined. Predictably, it was the only group that saw no additions. While our predictions for the rotation members were spot on, it should be noted that things may look slightly different the first go-around.

Though Zach Eflin has battled back from injury to be ready for his first start, Ranger Suárez and staff-ace Zack Wheeler have both seen limited work this spring. Given that rosters are set to carry 28 players through April, the two extra bullpen arms will be tasked with picking up some of Suárez and Wheeler’s innings as they get settled in.

In our original bullpen predictions, Corey Knebel, Brad Hand, Jeurys Familia, Jose Alvarado, Seranthony Domínguez, Connor Brogdon, Bailey Falter, Damon Jones, and Nick Nelson were all correctly predicted to break camp. The interesting twist came when Brogdon began to struggle in the spring. While we initially had Ryan Sherriff, a waiver-claim from the Tampa Bay Rays, as the tenth and final member of the bullpen, Christopher Sánchez was also mentioned as a potential final option.

Phillies new closer looks to help lead the new look bullpen. — Phillies new closer looks to help lead the new look bullpen / Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, Sánchez was inconsistent, but showed flashes of his potential. He had two three-inning appearances last year against the Miami Marlins and Boston Red Sox where he let up a combined one earned run on six hits while striking out four batters.

Additionally, Sánchez posted a 1.29 ERA this spring across seven innings, while Sherriff posted an ERA of 3.00. Though Sánchez is likely to be one of the two demoted when rosters are trimmed to 26 on May 1, his durability proved pivotal in the battle for the final bullpen spot as Wheeler and Suárez ramp up.

All things considered, the Inside the Phillies team delivered 25/28 spots correctly. There’s no doubt this roster is built to win on the backs of their starting lineup with the hope of consistent starting pitching.

Featuring a newly remade bullpen containing only three players that took on meaningful innings last year—Alvarado, Brogdon, and Falter—there is reason to believe the unit is set to improve. After two years of historically bad performances and a new closer in tow, it is time to shake off the woes that have plagued the Phillies bullpen.

The roster is set and the hopes are high. Excitement is sure to follow with established players joining the fray in Castellanos, Schwarber, and Knebel. In addition, guys like Moniak, Stott, and Bohm are a glimpse into a potentially bright future for the organization.

As we prepare for a 162-game season, and hopefully a few more, be sure to stay locked into Inside the Phillies coverage for more accurate predictions and real-time coverage.

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Published Apr 5, 2022

JEFF FITZPATRICK

Jeff Fitzpatrick is an Author for FanNation's 'Inside the Phillies,' part of Sports Illustrated. Jeff is a graduate from Rowan University in New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter @PhilliePhitz