ESPN's Expectations for the Phillies in 2024 Should Surprise No One

The Philadelphia Phillies are headed into 2024 with the most momentum you can have without winning a World Series. After two consecutive deep playoff runs, they're keeping most of the band together to continue taking a crack at the top.

The offseason checklist was simple: Re-sign Aaron Nola, add some depth, and hang on. Nola is now locked in through 2030, Zack Wheeler is extended through 2027, and they added Whitt Merrifield to the roster for some veteran depth.

The Phillies were also in the race to sign Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto but fell short of matching the promises the Los Angeles Dodgers could make. Despite losing those sweepstakes, this was not a lousy off-season for the Phills.

The 2024 campaign will look similar to the previous two seasons for the Phillies, which is not bad. On paper, they are primed to make another run for a championship.

However, they have to maneuver around some of the biggest obstacles in baseball. So, it's important to keep expectations realistic.

Phillies Primed For Third Consecutive Wild-Card Bid

In ESPN's initial MLB rankings, the Philadelphia Phillies are the fifth-best team in baseball. They join the second tier in the rankings labeled "The Biggest Threats" to the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. Counting on a full year from Bryce Harper and the continued success of their rotation, they project the Phillies will post 88 wins and have a 68% chance of making the postseason.

On paper, the Braves and Dodgers are virtually untouchable. However, we've seen both teams exit the playoffs early at the hands of their division foes -- who then both went on to represent the National League in the World Series.

So while the Phillies may not be able to keep up with the Braves in the regular season to capture a division title, they've proven to have their number when it counts the most. Having high hopes and expectations for this Phillies team is warranted.

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