March 29, 2024
Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA Today Sports
Rob Thomson knows it's still important to start fast and win the NL East.
Last season, the Phillies sputtered to a 5-10 start. The year before, their pennant-winning 2022 campaign saw them start 6-10.
Both seasons still saw them make the postseason and make strong pushes for a championship.
The 2024 team — which returns almost completely intact following their blown lead in the NLCS to the Diamondbacks last October — seems oddly comfortable working out of a hole. But it's not the best way to win, and manager Rob Thomson is pretty aware of this fact.
Last season, Jake Cave and Darrick Hall were Opening Day starters. This season, it's Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos hitting in those spots.
The Phillies offense is healthy, and the entire team has spent a lot of time together both in Clearwater and in their South Philly clubhouse. Could this April be different?
"Our hitters had a lot more at bats during the spring this year," Rob Thomson said before Friday's opener against the Braves. "Partially due to the fact that a few of them were in the [World Baseball Classic], and I think to the familiarity of having the entire club together, and stretching guys innings out a little bit earlier."
The Phillies have played .350 (win percentage) baseball to start the year the last two campaigns and have found themselves well behind the Braves in the NL East both times. Perhaps not immediately giving their rivals immense leads in the division is a good way to stay in the race for an NL East title.
| Season | Early | The rest | NL E |
| 2022 | 5-10 | 82-65 | 14 GB |
| 2023 | 6-10 | 84-62 | 14 GB |
| 2024 | ? |
The Phillies have had deep postseason runs in the last two falls — each time victimizing division champion Atlanta. But that doesn't mean the team will be lax about winning it, despite the potential for extra rest slowing late-season momentum as it has across baseball the last few postseasons.
“We’ve proven you don’t have to [win the division],” Thomson said earlier this spring. “But that is a slippery slope. Because if you get off to a little bit better spot ... We were .500 in March and April, so it’s not like we were terrible. But in May? We weren’t good at all. And then you’re playing catch-up. And that’s a lot of energy being used. Whereas if you get off to a better start, there is not as much anxiety in August and September."
Phillies fans will thank you for advance for doing anything possible to lower the anxiety.
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