Good vibes surround the defending National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. Three of their stars, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, helped get Team USA to the finals of the World Baseball Classic. Team USA fell just short against Japan in the championship, but Turner’s three home runs in the quarterfinals and semifinals have the fans buzzing about his debut with the team. In addition to Turner, the Phillies added Craig Kimbrel and Taijuan Walker via free agency and traded for Gregory Soto. The starting rotation has four legitimate starters and a fifth starter who has ace potential – to go along with chronic injury issues. Let’s look at some predictions for the Phillies this year as you plan your online betting for MLB.
MLB News: 2023 Philadelphia Phillies Season Predictions
World Series Odds: +1400
Along with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Cardinals are considered the 10th-best choice to win the World Series. They sit just behind Seattle and Philadelphia (both listed at +1500). The favorites are the Houston Astros (+600), and the top teams in the National League are the New York Mets and the L.A. Dodgers, both listed at +700.
The Cardinals have made it to the NL wild card round three seasons in a row, but they have failed to advance to the NL Division Series in each of those campaigns.
Odds to Make the Playoffs: Yes -230 / No +190
One reason to be bullish about the Phillies getting back to the postseason is the arrival of Turner. He already has five home runs in the spring (with four coming in the World Baseball Classic). The Phillies play in Citizens Bank Park, with tight confines that make home runs a regular occurrence. Turner’s career best in home runs is 28, but he could easily push past 30 and threaten 40. He could also swipe at least 50 bases, playing at the top of the lineup with elite speed. He would join Eric Davis (37 HR, 50 SB) and Barry Bonds (33 HR, 52 SB) as the only three 30-50 players ever if he can pull that off.
Season Win Total: 88.5
The Phillies showed last year that they could win without key players; with Bryce Harper on the shelf, the team went 32-20. Harper is not projected to return until the All-Star break, but there’s no reason to suspect that the team will suffer much in his absence. In the 52 games they played without him in 2022, they did not have Turner, and their bullpen and starting rotation were both weaker.
Another big bat is Nick Castellanos, but his power numbers have not shown up yet in the spring. He is batting .176 in the Grapefruit League, with a .715 OPS and 13 strikeouts in 34 at-bats. He does have eight walks, and he has hit two opposite-field home runs, so the power is there – but the contact rate needs to be a lot higher.
NL East Division Odds
- N.Y. Mets +110
- Atlanta Braves +170
- Philadelphia Phillies +330
- Miami Marlins +4000
- Washington Nationals +25000
The Phillies have an intriguing pitcher in Ranger Suarez. He started 202 slow, posting just a 4.33 ERA through his first 15 starts. However, after July 1, he had a 2.95 ERA in his last 14 starts. Between the rotation and the bullpen in 2021, he had a minuscule 1.36 ERA over 106 innings pitched. This is a lefty who looks ready to make the leap toward ace status – and a possible slot in the All-Star Game.
Odds to Win the Pennant: +700
If the Phillies are going to win the pennant, one step will be getting Aaron Nola’s mind off his contract and on his pitching. The Phillies need to extend him; his fWAR is right up there with Max Scherzer, who is an elite starter. He might not get the same size deal that Scherzer got (after all, Scherzer has a ring), but if we remember that Joe Musgrove (five years, $100 million), Carlos Rodon (six years, $162 million) and Luis Castillo (five years, $108 million), it’s not that unrealistic to think that Nola could get five years and $145 million.
The bullpen depth is also an important factor for the Phillies. With Seranthony Dominguez, Gregory Soto, Craig Kimbrel, and Jose Alvarado, the Phillies have four relievers who could each start as the closer for other teams. So if the starters can finish six innings, the Phillies are going to be an extremely tough team to catch up on in the late innings.
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