Philadelphia Eagles Won Super Bowl LIX, Can Philadelphia Phillies Follow Suit?

The Philadelphia Eagles blew the doors off the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX. Perhaps more impressive, is the game wasn't as close as that decisive final score would indicate.

The only thing left for the Eagles this season is their victory parade on Friday, which means Philadelphia's eye will now begin to turn towards baseball.

The Philadelphia Phillies have their own title aspirations, and a realistic path to reaching them in 2025. They've been close recently, making the playoffs in each of the last three years. They are coming off the most wins they've had in a season since 2011.

They are two years removed from taking the Arizona Diamondbacks to seven games in the NLCS. In 2022, Philadelphia fell to the Houston Astros in the World Series four games to two, marking the beginning of this three-year run.

Philadelphia heads towards spring training as a contender in the National League. Much like the Eagles, the Phillies foundation is built on high-quality veterans, headlined by MVP contender Bryce Harper and Cy Young hopeful Zack Wheeler.

The first step towards a championship run for Philadelphia is if both of their centerpieces finish in contention for their respective awards. They don't need to necessarily win, but it's hard to imagine the Phillies being a serious threat without peak production from Harper and Wheeler.

Trea Turner is a fringe MVP contender that's universally viewed as the third-best baseball player in Philadelphia. He's been good for the Phillies, but his best years were with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals. A peak season from Turner is another way the Phillies can make some margin.

The next clearest way for Philadelphia to not only maintain their recent standard of success, but take a step forward, is through big years from two cornerstones in their lineup.

Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and catcher J.T. Realmuto are both in contract years. Regardless of any honeyed words that anyone says on the subject, money is a motivator, plain and simple. Especially for two veterans on the wrong side of 30, looking for one more big payday.

Schwarber was a difference-making power hitter with the Cubs, but he's had his best years in Philadelphia. He's hit 131 home runs over the past three years, which is nearly half of the 284 he's hit in his 11-year career.

Realmuto is as solid as they come, currently serving as the career leader in WAR among active catchers. His games played have taken a dip in each of the past two seasons, which isn’t shocking for a catcher that will turn 34 in March. But, at the end of the day, you could call Realmuto the straw the stirs the drink for the Phillies.

If either veteran pillar has a contract-year surge, that's a realistic way for Philadelphia to build on their recent foundation of success.

Apart from the obvious need for the team to stay healthy, the Phillies have a relatively top-heavy roster. Apart from their best players doing even more, any other surge would have to come from more unexpected places.

Aaron Nola is seven years removed from his 10.5 WAR campaign of 2018. However, the next-best production of his career came three seasons ago, where he finished with 6.0 WAR. A jump from the 3.6 WAR he had in 2024 to that 6.0 range shouldn't be the expectation, but it's not off the table.

Speaking of achievable leaps, newly acquired 27-year-old left hander Jesus Lazardo has spent most of his six-year career playing for sub .500 teams. Stranger things have happened than a still young lefty, that throws in the mid-90s, having a career year for a contending team.

Second basemen Bryson Stott is another player with a realistic path to a better 2025. Last season he posted a 2.5 WAR, after putting up a 4.4 WAR the previous year. Even if Stott were to split the difference between his last two campaigns, that would be a value add for Philadelphia.

The Phillies lost to the rival New York Mets in the playoffs last year. Despite that loss, another playoff series with the Mets should be viewed as a coin flip. Meaning, even if the Phillies don't get any extra production or career years from their core, they can still reasonably beat the Mets in a short series.

You could even say that Philadelphia would be expected to beat other likely playoff opponents like the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs or Diamondbacks. But if the Phillies meet the Dodgers or Atlanta Braves in a postseason series, Philadelphia is going to need to be more than they've been to finish the job.

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