The Phillies arrived at spring training as a consensus pick to claim a wild-card spot and contend for the NL pennant. One of the league's top offensive lineups did not disappoint, and Philadelphia clinched its first playoff berth since the 2011 season with a third-place finish in the NL East. The Phillies topped the Cardinals, Braves, and Padres in the postseason to advance to their first World Series since 2009. However, the Astros defeated the Phillies in six games to win the Commissioner's Trophy.
Kyle Schwarber led the team with 46 homers, and Zack Wheeler tallied a team-high 12 wins. Philadelphia has all the ingredients to contend for the NL East title in 2023.
The Philadelphia Phillies are National League (NL) East division based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They were founded in 1883 as part of the National League. Originally called the "Quakers", they changed their name to the "Phillies" in 1890 and they have been known by that name ever since. The Phillies are one of the oldest franchises in baseball, and they have not relocated since their inception.
The Phillies have won two World Series Championships (1980 and 2008), eight NL pennants (most recently in 2022), and eleven East Division titles, and they have appeared in six Fall Classics. Some iconic moments from Philadelphia Phillies history include Mike Schmidt's 500th career home run, Steve Carlton's 300th win, Tug McGraw's strikeout to win the 1980 World Series, and Chase Utley’s grand slam to clinch the 2008 National League Championship Series.
The Phillies currently play their home games at Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This stadium opened in 2004 and seats over 43,000 fans.
The biggest rivals of the Philadelphia Phillies are their divisional competitors the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. The rivalry between these three teams has been ongoing for decades, with both teams competing hard against each other for division titles every year. Over time, Phillies vs Mets has become one of baseball's most intense rivalries and is known as "the Battle of New York/Philadelphia". They also have a fierce historic rivalry with cross-state rivals the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Some key players in the history of the Philadelphia Phillies include Hall-of-Famers Mike Schmidt, Richie Ashburn, Steve Carlton, Jim Bunning, and Robin Roberts.