This Philadelphia Phillies Season Feels Like World Series or Bust

The Philadelphia Phillies have a roster built for success now. So is winning a World Series the only way to justify what they've built?

Apr 16, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryce Harper (3) hits a two-run home run against the San Francisco Giants in the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are once again off to a strong start to the season in 2025, but they have lofty goals this year.

After a really disappointing end to 2024, the Phillies are motivated to have a good regular season and get back into the playoffs.

This winter, the team made a few notable additions with Jordan Romano, Max Kepler, and Jesus Luzardo all coming to Philadelphia. All three players filled positions of need for the Phillies, who had some weaknesses exposed in the postseason.

With the core aging a bit and some key players hitting free agency next winter, the time to win for the Phillies is now.

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the Phillies having a lot to like about the team once again this season, but it feels like a World Series or bust type of year.

“Their lineup is very powerful, but they have to prove they can win big games when they aren't hitting multiple home runs. Really, anything short of a World Series is going to be disappointing considering how close the Phillies have been in recent years," he wrote.

Last year, while it was great to win the division and have one of the best records in baseball, Philadelphia winning just one postseason game felt like a colossal failure.

Even though there were rumblings about potentially really shaking things up, the Phillies remained largely intact from the last campaign.

When looking at the roster, there is once again a lot to like. The starting rotation is likely going to be the greatest strength of Philadelphia in 2025, with nearly every pitcher either being a former All-Star, or having that type of potential.

Having a strong rotation will result in a lot of wins during the regular season, but they also have the high-end talent to take on other aces in the playoffs.

One area of the pitching staff that will always be a concern due to some postseason failures is the bullpen. Currently, the unit does look a little thin, but the addition of Romano could provide them with an elite closer if he gets going come October.

In the batting order, there is a ton of talent. Guys like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are some of the best in the game. However, the team does need some of their other players to step up.

Players like Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh have disappeared at times, making the lineup shorter and ineffective.

Overall, there are plenty of reasons why Philadelphia can win the World Series. However, they might need to make some upgrades in a couple of areas with it feeling like this year is World Series or bust.