The Philadelphia Phillies will open Spring Training on Saturday afternoon in Lakeland, Florida, as the defending NL East champs will play the Detroit Tigers. This will be fans' first opportunity to see the team in action after losing to the New York Mets in the NLDS.
The Phillies will be giving veteran reliever Nabil Crismatt the start as he’s vying for a spot on the 26-man roster. In addition to Crismatt starting on Saturday, the Phillies will have a new player and a couple of familiar faces making the trip to Lakeland.
According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Max Kepler, Alec Bohm, and Bryson Stott will face the Tigers. Kepler joined the Phillies this offseason on a one-year, $10 million deal after spending the last 10 years with the Minnesota Twins.
Phillies will take Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott and Max Kepler to beautiful Lakeland on Saturday for their Grapefruit League opener. Nabil Crismatt will start. The game is not televised, but Scott Franzke has arrived in Florida.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) February 20, 2025
The Phillies hope Kepler can bounce back from a so-so 2024 season with the Twins (.253 with eight home runs and 42 RBI). The 32-year-old Kepler is expected to be Philadelphia’s everyday left fielder this season.
Meanwhile, Bohm is looking to turn the page after his rough performance in the NLDS against the Mets. The 28-year-old infielder made his first All-Star game last season as he slugged .280 with 15 home runs and 97 RBI.
Bohm struggled mightily in the second half of the season (.251 with four home runs and 27 RBI), which carried into the postseason (1-13, .077). A good start in Spring Training would go a long way for Phillies fans.
Finally, Stott saw his batting average drop significantly from 2023 to 2024. In 2023, Stott hit .280 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI. He also racked up a career-high 32 doubles.
Last season, the young infielder slugged .245 at the plate with 19 doubles, 11 home runs and 57 RBI. As with Bohm, the Phillies are looking for a better performance from Stott as they will play a huge part in the team’s success in 2025.