February 23, 2026
Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images
Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford doubled in his first spring at-bat and singled for a 2-for-3 effort in his 2026 spring debut.
Spring training opened for the Phillies and Major League Baseball over the weekend. And while most of us in the Northeast were preparing for a historic blizzard that dumped more than a foot of snow in some areas of the Delaware Valley, the Phillies were getting their bats and arms warm down in Florida as Grapefuit League play began.
The Phillies played two games, opening their slate Saturday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin and opening their spring home Sunday at BayCare Ballpark against the Pirates. They lost both games, but spring training results aren't important.
Here are the main takeaways from opening weekend:
Phils top outfield prospect Justin Crawford is being given the chance to win the starting centerfield job after tearing up Triple-A last year with the IronPigs.
Crawford led off for the Phillies on Saturday and in his – and the team's – first at-bat he ripped a 1-2 cutter from Blue Jays lefty Eric Bauer off the centerfield wall for a double. In typical Phillies fashion, Crawford was stranded at second as the next three batters failed to even move him to third.
Wasting no time! Our first hit of the spring comes courtesy of Justin Crawford pic.twitter.com/EHLKCRl5kd
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) February 21, 2026
But the at-bat was significant for Crawford, a left-handed hitter who batted 42 points higher against left-handed pitching last season. With the Phils having too many left-handed hitters in the lineup, it would sure help if Crawford could translate that success vs. lefty pitching to the big league level.
In his third at-bat, Crawford went the opposite way on a 1-1 pitch off right-hander C.J. Van Eyk to bloop a single just off the shortstop's glove for his second hit, video via John Foley:
Another hit for Justin Crawford pic.twitter.com/hsEA00AeCm
— John Foley (@2008Philz) February 21, 2026
Crawford didn't play Sunday against the Pirates as Johan Rojas started the game and went 0-for-1 before being replaced by minor leaguer Pedro León.
Some are expecting a drop-off from Kyle Schwarber, who signed a massive five-year, $150 million extension after clubbing 56 homers and driving in 132 runs in 2025. It's pretty hard for any player, even one of Schwarber's caliber, to replicate those exact numbers the following season.
But the highest-paid DH in MLB history picked up where he left off. In his first spring at-bat, on Sunday against the Pirates batting from the 2-hole, Schwarber deposited a 2-1 slider from righty Braxton Ashcraft deep into the Clearwater afternoon sky, a 438-foot blast for a 1-0 lead.
Behold the power stroke, courtesy of MLB.com:
The first #SpringTraining Schwarbomb 💪 pic.twitter.com/j7QzjdsbIS
— MLB (@MLB) February 22, 2026
Ashcraft is no slouch. He made his debut in the majors last season and pitched in 27 games to a 2.71 ERA, with a 9.2 K/9 rate. He's one of the bright spots on the Pirates, but Schwarber wasted no time getting the best of him and reminding Phils fans why it was important to bring him back.
On the flip side, Bryce Harper, who's under pressure to regain elite status, went 0-for-3 in his spring debut.
The organization's top prospect, third baseman Aidan Miller, leapfrogged into that title over right-handed pitcher Andrew Painter this offseason amid some borderline-ridiculous hype and comparisons.
But we'll have to wait for the infielder to make his spring debut.
Manager Rob Thomson told reporters after Sunday's game against the Pirates that Miller "has a sore lower back," per MLB.com, and the team is just being "super cautious" with him.
In the story, Thomson explained that Miller arrived at a recent workout feeling some soreness but Thomson doesn't think it occurred from anything that happened on the field. There's no timetable for Miller's debut.
Miller is MLB.com's 23rd-ranked overall prospect for 2026.
Keep an eye on lefty reliever Kyle Backhaus, who was acquired in a December trade with the Diamondbacks as the Phillies reshaped their bullpen this offseason. In his debut, Backhus needed just 10 pitches to retire the Pirates in the third inning.
He got Jesus Castillo to wave at a 1-2 slider at 94 mph, then induced consecutive ground outs to end the frame. Backhaus is fighting to potentially be the third southpaw in the bullpen behind Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks. His sidearm delivery makes him especially tough on left-handed batters.
Take a look, via Cam! (@aokstott):
Kyle Backhus. pic.twitter.com/1VV5qCjeEo
— cam ! (@aokstott) February 22, 2026
Last year, left-handed batters hit just .139 against Backhus in 26 at-bats.
Meanwhile, Alvarado was supposed to again represent Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic but released a statement on his Instagram that insurance reasons will prevent him from pitching for his country this time.
For those without IG, NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark posted the statement:
Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado shares on Instagram that he will not be able to participate in the WBC for Venezuela because his insurance was not approved.
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) February 22, 2026
“It fills me with sadness” pic.twitter.com/Z3F6D7Zn6s
An interesting report surfaced Friday from WIP's Devan Kaney that said, citing unnamed sources, that Bryce Harper had been suggesting to Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski that he continue to look for more right-handed power, advocating for a reunion with former Phillies slugger Rhys Hoskins.
Here's the whole report:
Sources tell me Bryce Harper has been advocating for more right handed power and someone who could give the Phillies more emotional edge/swagger. I’m told Harper suggested Dave Dombrowski look into a reunion with Rhys Hoskins who remains a free agent.
— Devan Kaney (@Devan_Kaney) February 20, 2026
I’m told Hoskins is game…
Source: Once finalized, the Guardians’ deal with Hoskins would be a minor-league contract that pays him a base salary of $1.5M should he make the major-league roster. https://t.co/fhmqq9NZ6Q
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) February 22, 2026
The Phillies desperately need someone to be an effective, right-handed cleanup hitter to offer protection behind the lefty Harper in the 3-hole, especially with the lefty Schwarber and Harper likely to appear back-to-back in their order.
They're hoping free-agent addition Adolis García can rediscover the power stroke in 2023 that helped him become American League Championship Series MVP and a World Series champion with the Rangers.
García went 0-for-3 with two flyouts and a groundout from the 2-hole in his debut Saturday and didn't play Sunday.
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