Phillies season preview: 3 questions facing 2022 NL champs
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Baseball is finally back. The Philadelphia Phillies' defense of the 2022 National League pennant begins Thursday in Arlington, Texas, against the Rangers in their season opener.
Here are three big questions facing the Phillies.
1. Is replacing Hoskins their biggest challenge?
When Rhys Hoskins' left knee gave way last Thursday, a massive hole opened in a Phillies lineup that's already missing two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper. Yet, the Phillies' biggest question this season isn't how they will replace Hoskins' bat.
It's a big hole to fill, for sure, no matter how divisive Hoskins is among Phillies fans.
It's no easy task to replace, give or take, 25 home runs a week from Opening Day. But the Phillies' biggest worry is their starting pitching depth, which is already being tested.
When spring training began, the Phillies were hopeful 19-year-old prospect Andrew Painter would open as their fifth starter, with Bailey Falter, Cristopher Sanchez, Michael Plassmeyer and Nick Nelson providing depth.
As it goes, that depth is already thinned out.
Painter suffered a UCL sprain in his prized right elbow and both Sanchez and Nelson are dealing with injuries.
A bigger concern is Ranger Suárez, who's dealing with inflammation in his left elbow.
Suárez won't start the season on time, and while the Phils insist it isn't serious, any injury in a pitcher's throwing arm is of concern.
The Phillies will open the season with Falter as their fourth starter and Matt Strahm, who the team signed as a reliever, as their fifth.
Essentially, the Phillies are one more starting pitcher injury away from a nightmare scenario.
2. Which Castellanos shows up?
Nick Castellanos enters Year 2 with the Phillies with much lower expectations, but in reality, he's needed as much as ever. That's a consequence of losing Hoskins, who was the Phillies' best right-handed power bat.
Before Hoskins' injury, and even with Harper out for at least two months, Castellanos was more of a curiosity. The spotlight wasn't on him as much as it normally would have since the Phils added Trea Turner in the winter.
Now without Hoskins, the Phillies will need Castellanos to bounce back.
If history repeats, Castellanos will be better this season.
Castellanos struggled his first three seasons in Detroit and then took off once he found his footing. The same thing happened in Cincinnati. He appears to be a player that needs time to adjust.
Spring training stats shouldn't carry a ton of weight, but there's something in Castellanos' numbers this spring beyond his .240 batting average -- his 10 walks.
Castellanos moved closer to the plate this spring at the suggestion of Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long. He also worked on his approach and the spring sample was encouraging in that regard.
The Phils will need Castellanos to resemble what he's been the majority of his career with Hoskins out. If Castellanos bounces back, the Phillies should be able to mask Hoskins' absence easier.
3. Is this season World Series or bust?
It's not as rare as you'd think: Since the Phillies went to back-to-back World Series in 2008 and 2009 -- winning one and losing one -- three teams have made it back to the Fall Classic the year after losing it.
The Houston Astros did it. The Los Angeles Dodgers did it. The Texas Rangers did it.
The Astros lost the 2021 World Series before winning it all against the Phils last season. The Dodgers lost back-to-back World Series in 2017 and 2018, and the Rangers did the same in 2010 and 2011.
The Phillies are coming into the 2023 season with expectations and a renewed sense of excitement, yet odds makers have the Phils still finishing third in the National League East.
We know the story. The Phils snuck into the postseason in 2022 and rode a wave to the World Series as the third wild-card team. Winning the division would be nice, but it's not a necessity.
The Phils don't need to win the NL East this season -- just get back to the dance and anything can happen.
But is that enough? Is that a successful season?
Phillies fans won't accept that, but the road to the World Series in the NL is as tough as it gets. The league is, on paper, stronger than the American League.
Philadelphia will be competing with the likes of the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals. The Milwaukee Brewers can't be discounted either and there could always be a surprise.
No one expected the Phils to make a run to the World Series last season, which is a big reason why it captured the city. But they did and it would be difficult to swallow, say, a first-round loss this year.
The long marathon begins Thursday. We'll see where we are in six months.
Happy baseball.
