Philadelphia Phillies News

Andrew Painter • SP • Phillies

Andrew Painter Progressing Well, Could Pitch In Extended Spring Games

Philadelphia Phillies pitching prospect Andrew Painter (elbow) is progressing well and could pitch in extended spring games in the coming weeks. Painter has been sidelined for nearly the past two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July of 2023. Painter has not been pitching during spring training but did participate in the Arizona Fall League. In the AFL, the former 13th overall pick posted a 2.30 ERA with a 0.89 WHIP across 15 2/3 innings. He tallied 18 punchouts and only served up four walks. Earlier in the offseason, the Phillies said they would closely monitor Painter's workload during the start of the season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression in the minor leagues, as he could push to make his MLB debut sometime in the second half. In 2022, he spent time with Single-A, High-A, and Double-A and held a cumulative 1.56 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 155 punchouts across 103 2/3 innings.

17 hours ago

Matt Strahm • RP • Phillies

Matt Strahm Dealing With Finger Injury, Expected To Be Ready For Opening Day

Philadelphia Phillies left-handed reliever Matt Strahm (finger) was scheduled to pitch in the team's Grapefruit League game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, but he was scratched du to left middle fingernail irritation after packing in the morning. The issue isn't believed to be serious, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, and Strahm is still expected to make the Opening Day roster. The 33-year-old veteran has also dealt with inflammation in his left shoulder this spring, which has limited him to only two spring training appearances. Despite the lack of action in Grapefruit League games due to his balky shoulder, that also isn't enough of a concern for the Phillies to keep him off the Opening Day roster. However, Strahm could see more rest between outings than usual to open the regular season. He made his first All-Star squad in 2024 and is the team's top high-leverage lefty arm out of the bullpen.

Yesterday

Taijuan Walker • SP • Phillies

Taijuan Walker To Be Phillies No. 5 Starter

Philadelphia Phillies veteran right-hander Taijuan Walker will open the year as the team's No. 5 starter with left-hander Ranger Suarez (back) opening the season on the injured list. Barring a setback as he ramps back up, Suarez could be ready to return in late April, which means that Walker should see at least a handful of starts. The 32-year-old won't be of much interest to fantasy managers in single-year leagues outside of those in deep NL-only leagues. The former first-rounder really struggled in his second year with the Phillies in 2024, going 3-7 with a career-worst 7.10 ERA (6.94 FIP), 1.72 WHIP, 58 strikeouts and 37 walks in 83 2/3 innings over 19 appearances (15 starts). It didn't help that he missed time with shoulder and finger injuries. If Walker continues to struggle like that again in 2025, he could be a candidate to be released.

Yesterday

Ranger Suárez • SP • Phillies

Ranger Suarez Could Pitch In April

Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said that if things continue to progress, that left-hander Ranger Suarez (back) "would pitch sometime in April." "You're talking three weeks or something at least." Suarez, who will begin the 2025 season on the injured list, will need to be built back up again, so if he does make his season debut in April, it will most likely come later in the month. With Suarez out, veteran right-hander Taijuan Walker will open as the No. 5 starter for the Phils. The 29-year-old Suarez got off to a fantastic start in 2024 before fading in his final 12 starts while also dealing with a similar back injury. He gets plenty of ground balls, but he's a soft-tosser that lacks strikeout upside to begin with, so he's taking quite the tumble in fantasy draft rankings with Opening Day just a few days away now that we know he's starting on the IL.

Yesterday

Justin Crawford • CF • Phillies

Justin Crawford Starting Season At Triple-A

Philadelphia Phillies outfield prospect Justin Crawford will open the season at the Triple-A level. After posting an impressive .364/.462/.364 slash line during spring training, Crawford was rewarded with a promotion to the minor leagues. Last season, the No. 3 ranked prospect in the Philadelphia system began the campaign with High-A before moving up to Double-A. Across 70 games at High-A, the former 17th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft posted a .301/.349/.438 slash line with 27 stolen bases. Then, at Double-A, Crawford continued to swing a hot bat as he posted a strong .333/.380/.455 slash line with 11 doubles and 15 swiped bags. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression at Triple-A as he should contend for an MLB debut later in 2025.

Yesterday

Ranger Suárez • SP • Phillies

Ranger Suarez To Begin The Season On The Injured List

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (back) will head to the injured list to start the season, said manager Rob Thomson. Taijuan Walker will fill in as the fifth starter in the meantime. Suarez has recently dealt with back stiffness, and while it doesn't seem to be a serious injury, it will hold him off of the Opening Day roster. He enjoyed a breakout 2024 campaign, posting a 3.46 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 145 strikeouts in 150 innings. He did a great job at limiting hard contact, allowing a 5.1% barrel rate (88th percentile) and 53.2% ground ball rate (90th percentile). He should be a useful fantasy option for the back end of rotations following his return from the injured list.

2 days ago

Ranger Suárez • SP • Phillies

Ranger Suarez Plays Catch On Saturday

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (back) played catch on Saturday as he recovers from a sore lower back. Manager Rob Thomson indicated that Suarez was feeling better but did not provide any details as to when the southpaw will make his next start, although he said that decision will likely be made in the next 48 hours. At this point, it sounds like an IL stint to begin the season won't be necessary, but fantasy managers will want to monitor his status over the next few days in the event it takes a turn for the worse. The 29-year-old made two appearances this spring, allowing one earned run on two hits and no walks while striking out four over five innings. The Venezuelan was terrific to begin last season but faded late, finishing with a 3.46 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and a 16.6 percent K-BB%. The lefty should be a solid rotation piece for fantasy, but last season may very well have been his peak, and with this injury that could pop up again later, make sure not to overpay.

2 days ago

Matt Strahm • RP • Phillies

Matt Strahm To Pitch On Saturday

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Matt Strahm (shoulder) is scheduled to throw in a minor-league game on Saturday. If that goes well, Strahm would hopefully be cleared to pitch during Monday's spring training contest. The organization is hopeful that Strahm will be ready to go in time for Opening Day. The veteran southpaw is coming off an excellent season with the Phillies last season. He registered a 1.87 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 79/11 K/BB ratio across 66 games with Philly. The 33-year-old is expected to immediately slide into high-leverage spots in the Phillies bullpen.

4 days ago

Garrett Stubbs • C • Phillies

Phillies Option Garrett Stubbs To Triple-A

The Philadelphia Phillies have optioned catcher Garrett Stubbs to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. As a result, Rafael Marchan will open the 2025 campaign as the No. 2 backstop behind J.T. Realmuto. During spring training, Stubbs has held a solid .286/.423/.381 line with a 3:4 BB:K. However, he fell short in the competition and will open the season at the top level of the minor leagues. Last summer, Stubbs was the primary No. 2 backstop behind Realmuto. Across a career-high 56 MLB contests, Stubbs posted a .207/.296/.262 slash line with four doubles and one home run. He placed in the 92nd percentile in pop time but generated a low .246 xwOBA. Fantasy managers in deeper NL-only formats should consider targeting Marchan as a low-end No. 2 option, as he would likely see the majority of opportunities if Realmuto were to miss time.

4 days ago

Ranger Suárez • SP • Phillies

Ranger Suarez To Play Catch On Friday

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson said that left-hander Ranger Suarez (back) "felt a lot better today" and will play catch in camp on Friday. Suarez had tests done on his ailing back this week, but the 29-year-old southpaw has been cleared to resume playing catch on Friday and will hopefully be able to avoid being placed on the injured list to start the 2025 regular season. It's something to watch early on in the season after Suarez dealt with back issues last year as well. Suarez was one of the best pitchers in baseball early on in 2024, but things fell apart for him and he finished with a 6.17 ERA in his final 12 starts before and after his back injury. While his back injury this spring may not be as bad as what he dealt with last year, it should make fantasy managers hesitant. Even if his back injury doesn't affect him at all, we wouldn't bank on Suarez being as good as he was early on in 2024.

5 days ago

Ranger Suárez • SP • Phillies

Ranger Suarez Won't Start On Friday Due To Stiff Back

Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez (back) is dealing with what the team is calling mild back stiffness and will not make his scheduled Grapefruit League start on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays. The good news is Suarez's injury isn't believed to be as bad as last year's injury, according to manager Rob Thomson. However, the 29-year-old southpaw's availability for the start of the regular season next week is now in question. Suarez pitched in an intrasquad game last Saturday and felt soreness in his back on Sunday. We should have a better read on his status for Opening Day next week, but fantasy managers have a right to be worried after Suarez missed more than a month with a back injury in 2024. If Suarez requires a stint on the injured list to begin the season, the most likely option to take his starting rotation spot would be veteran right-hander Joe Ross.

6 days ago

Alec Bohm • 3B • Phillies

Alec Bohm Back In Wednesday's Spring Lineup

Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (foot) is back in the starting lineup for Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the New York Yankees and is starting at third base and batting cleanup, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Lochlahn March. It will be Bohm's first game action since Saturday due to a bruised foot. The 28-year-old former third overall pick in 2018 out of Wichita State University was the subject of trade rumors in the offseason, but he will remain in Philly for now, where his fantasy value is the highest, especially if he's hitting in the heart of one of the best lineups in baseball. Bohm has been swinging a hot back in camp, too, batting .344 (11-for-32) with three home runs, three doubles, five RBI and 10 runs in 11 Grapefruit League games. While Bohm may not have high-end power for a third baseman, he hits for a high average and will have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs.

6 days ago

Max Kepler • RF • Phillies

Max Kepler Back In Tuesday's Spring Lineup

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler (back) is starting in left field and batting third in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Scott Lauber. Kepler was removed from Sunday's spring training game due to a back injury after he crashed into the outfield wall, but he'll only end up missing one day. It means that the 32-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder will be ready to go for Opening Day next Thursday, March 27, versus the division-rival Washington Nationals on the road in D.C. In theory, Kepler should be more attractive as a depth outfielder in deep-mixed fantasy leagues in 2025 with the move to a more potent lineup in Philly, and he'll enter the season as the club's primary left fielder on the strong side of a platoon against right-handed pitchers. However, the German native is an injury risk and has played in over 150 games just once in 10 big-league seasons.

7 days ago

Max Kepler • RF • Phillies

Max Kepler Dealing With Back Injury

MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reports that Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler (back) is dealing with a bruised lower back and doesn't currently have a timetable for a return. Kepler collided with the outfield wall in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Baltimore Orioles and had to leave the game. The 32-year-old veteran wasn't in the lineup on Monday and will apparently miss a bit more time at the tail end of camp. With Opening Day coming next Thursday, March 27, against the division-rival Washington Nationals, it's entirely possible that he'll have to open his first year in Philly on the injured list. When healthy, Kepler should be on the strong side of a platoon in left field, but he may need to pick it up offensively in order to keep that role. The injury-prone outfielder played in only 105 games in his final season with the Twins and hit .253 with eight home runs and 42 RBI.

Mar 17

Alec Bohm • 3B • Phillies

Alec Bohm Could Play On Wednesday

Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (foot) could return to the Grapefruit League lineup on Wednesday against the New York Yankees, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. Bohm has been out since Saturday due to a bruised foot, but his injury isn't serious and he should be ready to go for Opening Day next Thursday, March 27, in D.C. against the division-rival Washington Nationals. A candidate to be traded in the offseason, the 28-year-old has stuck with Philly and is currently hitting a cool .344 (11-for-32) with three home runs, three doubles, five RBI and 10 runs scored in 11 Grapefruit League contests. He was a first-time All-Star in 2024 and finished with a .280/.332/.448 slash line, 15 home runs, 97 RBI, five steals and 62 runs in 143 games played. Bohm will need to hit fly balls to reward fantasy managers with more homers, but he hits the ball hard and is in the middle of one of the best lineups in baseball.

Mar 17

Brandon Marsh • LF • Phillies

Brandon Marsh To Return To Action On Tuesday

MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reports that Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (knee) will play in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Marsh bruised his left knee in the team's Grapefruit League contest on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles, but it wasn't a serious injury, and he'll end up missing just one day. The 27-year-old will be ready to go for Opening Day next Thursday, March 27, versus the division-rival Washington Nationals and he's expected to be the team's primary center fielder in 2025. With moderate power and speed, the former second-rounder by the Los Angeles Angels in 2016 is merely outfield depth for those in mixed fantasy leagues. However, he does reside in one of the best lineups in baseball and he was able to set career-highs in home runs (16) and stolen bases (19) in 135 games in 2024. Sitting against many lefties and a career strikeout rate over 30% lowers his ceiling.

Mar 17

Zack Wheeler • SP • Phillies

Phillies Announce Zack Wheeler As Their Opening Day Starter

Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson announced on Monday that right-hander Zack Wheeler will start on Opening Day on Thursday, March 27, against the division-rival Washington Nationals on the road. The decision doesn't come as a surprise, even though the Phillies also have right-hander Aaron Nola, who would be a staff ace for most other teams. The 34-year-old Wheeler is ranked as the No. 3 fantasy starter at RotoBaller, behind only Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, after going 16-7 with a 2.57 ERA (3.13 FIP), league-low 0.95 WHIP, 224 strikeouts and 52 walks in 200 innings over 32 starts in his fifth year in Philadelphia. Wheeler has now racked up 200-plus strikeouts and at least 192 innings pitched in three of the last four years. He'll be one of the best DFS plays at the position on Opening Day as well against the Nats.

Mar 17

Brandon Marsh • LF • Phillies

Brandon Marsh Exits Early Sunday

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (knee) left Sunday's contest against the Baltimore Orioles early after picking up a knee bruise. The good news is that he was removed from the game for precautionary reasons and is on record stating that if it were the regular season, he "most definitely" would have stayed in the game. The 27-year-old slipped on the warning track in the first inning, landing hard on his knee. He'd again land on the same knee in the third, making a catch in center field. While it isn't thought to be a significant issue, manager Rob Thomson noted that he won't play on Monday as previously scheduled. Fellow outfielder Max Kepler also left Sunday's outing early, and the Phillies are beginning to get thin at that position. Fortunately, both can be considered day-to-day.

Mar 16

Max Kepler • RF • Phillies

Max Kepler Exits Early On Sunday After Collision

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler (undisclosed) exited Sunday's contest after colliding with the left field wall. He was replaced by Christian Arroyo. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the team will likely provide an update after the contest. However, he was able to exit the game on his own power, which is a positive sign. Earlier in the winter, the Phillies signed Kepler to a one-year deal worth $10 million. When healthy, he will likely be on the strong side of a platoon in left field alongside Brandon Marsh. Last season, Kepler posted a .253/.302/.380 slash line with 21 doubles and eight home runs. He generated a modest .247 xBA with a .381 xSLG. If Kepler were to miss time early in the season, Marsh would likely have a full-time role in left field.

Mar 16

Nick Castellanos • RF • Phillies

Nick Castellanos Returning On Saturday

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos (illness) is returning to the starting nine on Saturday afternoon. Castellanos is slated to cover right field and bat in the six-hole. Castellanos has been sidelined earlier in the week due to this illness. However, given that he is returning to the lineup, suggests he will not be in any danger of missing Opening Day. During the regular season, fantasy managers should expect the 33-year-old to be the everyday right fielder in the Philadelphia lineup. Last summer, Castellanos posted a .254/.311/.431 slash line with 30 doubles and 23 home runs. He swiped six bags and added 80 runs and 86 RBI. Under the hood, he generated a strong .271 xBA with a .333 xwOBA, which suggests that he should see some positive regression in 2025. Castellanos should be viewed as a high-floor No.3 outfielder in all formats.

Mar 15

Philadelphia Phillies News

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