PHILADELPHIA, PA - As late May 2025 unfolds, the Philadelphia Phillies are once again a prominent force in the National League. With a strong 36-20 record, they sit atop the NL East, holding a 2-game lead over the New York Mets. Their performance has fans buzzing, and it offers an interesting lens through which to view the expectations set at the beginning of the 2024 season.

Current Snapshot: Riding High in 2025

The 2025 Phillies are demonstrating considerable strength. They boast the second-best record in the National League overall and are showing excellent form, particularly in their last 10 games where they've gone 8-2 (though they recently dropped their last game). Offensively, the team ranks 4th overall in MLB with a .260 batting average and 7th in runs scored (270). Key contributors include Kyle Schwarber, who leads the team with 19 home runs and 41 RBIs, and Trea Turner, who is hitting .302 with 14 stolen bases. Bryce Harper continues to be a central figure, batting .267 with 8 homers and 33 RBIs. The pitching staff has a collective ERA of 3.77 (13th in MLB), with Zack Wheeler leading the charge with 6 wins and an impressive 11.1 strikeouts per 9 innings.

Rewind to 2024: A Season of Ambition and High Hopes

Heading into the 2024 season, the Philadelphia Phillies were viewed as a team with World Series aspirations. Coming off deep playoff runs in the preceding seasons, including a World Series appearance in 2022 and an NLCS appearance in 2023, the narrative at the time highlighted a core of established stars and a determined outlook.

The prevailing sentiment in early 2024 emphasized the prowess of players like Bryce Harper (fresh off a 2023 NL Silver Slugger Award) and Zack Wheeler (a 2023 NL Gold Glove Award winner). The leadership of manager Rob Thomson, whose contract extension through 2025 was a known factor, also signified stability. The expectation, implicitly and explicitly, was to leverage this talent and experience to not only compete but to dominate. The 2024 season itself bore this out to a large extent, with the Phillies clinching the NL East title for the first time since 2011, finishing with a strong 95-67 record. Key players performed well: Harper hit .285 with 30 homers, and Wheeler posted a 2.57 ERA. The offense was a powerhouse, finishing 5th in runs scored.

2025 Performance vs. 2024 Expectations & Realities

Comparing the current 2025 run to the outlook from early 2024 and the subsequent 2024 season results reveals some interesting parallels and developments:

  • Sustained Excellence: The Phillies' current leading position in the NL East mirrors their divisional win in 2024. The expectation of being a top contender, as anticipated before the 2024 season, is clearly being met and arguably exceeded in the early part of 2025.
  • Core Stars Still Shining: Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler, recognized as franchise cornerstones heading into 2024, continue to be pivotal. Harper's consistent run production and Wheeler's ace-like performance are in line with the high hopes pinned on them.
  • Offensive Prowess Continues: The 2024 team was noted for its strong offense (5th in runs). The 2025 squad is maintaining that strength, currently 7th in runs scored and 4th in batting average. Kyle Schwarber, noted for a strong 2024, is again leading in home runs.
  • Pitching Depth: While the focus in early 2024 was largely on the top of the rotation (Wheeler, Nola), the 2025 team's overall ERA of 3.77 suggests a solid staff performance, though perhaps with room to climb into the elite ranks as the season progresses. The 2024 team had an ERA of 3.86.

Looking Ahead

If the early months of 2025 are any indication, the Phillies are well on their way to another highly competitive season, fulfilling the promise that was evident at the start of the previous year. The team's blend of veteran leadership and consistent offensive output, backed by strong starting pitching, positions them as a formidable opponent. The narrative and roster construction heading into 2024 essentially laid out the blueprint for a contending team, and the 2025 Phillies appear to be building effectively on that foundation, aiming to translate regular-season success into the ultimate postseason triumph that eluded them in 2024 after a disappointing NLDS exit.