Not many teams are set up better to compete for championships than the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies have a star-studded pitching staff, with Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, and Ranger Suárez all penciled in for postseason starts. They have an iconic superstar in Bryce Harper and a deep, heavy-hitting lineup behind him.
After near misses the past two years, the Phillies certainly look primed to take home a World Series in 2024. But how well-positioned are they to compete for championships in future seasons?
One Major League Baseball insider seems to believe they'll stay near the top of the heap. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel ranked the Phillies fifth on his list of MLB cores, comprising all the talent on a roster under control through at least 2026.
"This group is the definition of a steady core, even if it's not how you might typically think of one because it comprises mostly players over 30 years old," McDaniel said.
"For the purpose of these rankings, the Phillies added two front-line arms by keeping Wheeler and Nola on long-term deals. Combining those two aces with jumps from (Alec) Bohm and Sanchez make up for J.T. Realmuto falling out as he nears the end of his contract."
Harper and Wheeler were the two Phillies listed as "elite" talents by McDaniel, meaning they were considered consistent threats to put up 5+ WAR seasons. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves had more than two.
Meanwhile, Nola, Bohm, Sánchez, and Trea Turner were listed as "plus" contributors on McDaniel's list, and an additional 12 players, including four top prospects, were classed as "solid" future pieces.
With so much reliable talent, the Phillies will be a force to be reckoned with for at least a few more seasons beyond 2024. Their big-league roster is already one of the best and their prospect pipeline is surprisingly flush.
But the Phillies have learned in recent years that near misses count for nothing. They've got to cash in one of these opportunities while their stars are still in their primes.
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