Philadelphia Phillies: Predicting the Phillies opening day lineup

The Philadelphia Phillies had the best off-season of any team in Major League Baseball, and in 2019 they will trot out a lineup that figures to be among the best not only in the National League but in all of baseball.

In 2018, the Philadelphia Phillies were a team looking for an identity. They had a precocious young manager who was head skipper for the first time in his coaching career. They possessed a young pitcher who had all the talent to be the team’s next ace. They had players who had flashed All-Star talent. But would talent be enough?

It turns out talent is important, but successful teams must also execute and maintain high levels of focus. The 2018 Phillies showed us that they were close. They faltered down the stretch, due to a combination of youth and inexperience, lack of bench depth, and not enough consistent hitters to build around.

Going into the off-season, GM Matt Klentak knew this team needed an identity. It needed new faces, and most importantly, it needed a franchise player. Enter 2019, and the Philadelphia Phillies, after a slew of savvy moves by Klentak, are not just a team with new faces, they look like a team that could be one of the best in baseball.

One question remains: What is this lineup going to look like with names like Bryce Harper, Jean Segura, and J.T. Realmuto donning the pinstripes? Together, Pete Long and I break down our thoughts on this lineup entering the 2019 season and where each player fits in the batting order.