Are fans filled with optimism?
Or do they feel the weight of doubt?
The truth is, depending on who you ask, both answers are equally valid. After all, a 162-game grind tends to offer plenty of opportunities to shift from hope to frustration and back again. And while there’s reason to think the Phillies can repeat their division title, that optimism is still being weighed down by the baggage of past disappointments.
October’s bitter ending, a four-game NLDS loss to the New York Mets, followed 2023's disheartening collapse in the National League Championship Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. So much for building on the momentum of a magical 2022 World Series appearance.
Two postseason failures in a row? That’s regression — and it’s hard to shake off.
Now, as the calendar flips to 2025, the Phillies' offseason looks more meh than exciting. Yes, Dave Dombrowski made some moves, inking outfielder Max Kepler and bolstering the bullpen with Jordan Romano and Joe Ross. But let’s be honest: they’re simply replacements for players like Austin Hays, Carlos Estevez, and Jeff Hoffman who left. It’s responsible work, sure. But intriguing? Not so much.
Jesus Luzardo is an intriguing add to the rotation, but will he remain healthy?
Dombrowski’s been around a while. He knows this club still carries the sting of last October’s NLDS ousting — and that they limped to the finish line in the regular season, going 33-33 after the All-Star break while tail-spinning in September.
And then there’s the big question: can the veteran core of this team, led by Harper, Nola, Realmuto, Wheeler, Castellanos, and Schwarber finally break through? They've been together for nearly four years and it’s starting to feel less like a window of opportunity and more like a clock running out. The faces may remain the same, but Father Time is unforgiving.
For all the regular-season success, the Phillies’ real test is postseason relevance. And after two consecutive playoff failures, one has to wonder: is this group still capable of getting over the hump?
It’s a pivotal year. The pressure on this team to deliver — not just tweak, but to make meaningful change — will only grow stronger if another October exit is in the cards.
So, as they take the field for 2025, one thing is clear: the Phillies have a strong foundation. But time is slipping away. The question is no longer whether they can repeat their regular-season success — it's whether they can make the deep, lasting postseason run that fans have been waiting for.
Dombrowski’s been around a while. He knows this club still carries the sting of last October’s NLDS ousting — and that they limped to the finish line in the regular season, going 33-33 after the All-Star break while tail-spinning in September.
And then there’s the big question: can the veteran core of this team, led by Harper, Nola, Realmuto, Wheeler, Castellanos, and Schwarber finally break through? They've been together for nearly four years and it’s starting to feel less like a window of opportunity and more like a clock running out. The faces may remain the same, but Father Time is unforgiving.
For all the regular-season success, the Phillies’ real test is postseason relevance. And after two consecutive playoff failures, one has to wonder: is this group still capable of getting over the hump?
It’s a pivotal year. The pressure on this team to deliver — not just tweak, but to make meaningful change — will only grow stronger if another October exit is in the cards.
So, as they take the field for 2025, one thing is clear: the Phillies have a strong foundation. But time is slipping away. The question is no longer whether they can repeat their regular-season success — it's whether they can make the deep, lasting postseason run that fans have been waiting for.
If they can’t, the end of this era might come sooner than anyone expects.
You are totally right though, there's no more margin with this team - its now or never!