Friday, July 04

Super Bowl weekend is finally here. 

If the Eagles beat the Chiefs on Sunday in New Orleans, as everybody in the Delaware Valley hopes, the championship parade down Broad Street will be next week. It would cap an unbelievably fun football season just as the Phillies open Spring Training in Clearwater, Fla. 

Here’s what you need to know as Phils camp opens: 

When is the first workout for pitchers and catchers? 

Wednesday at Carpenter Complex. 

What is the date of the first full-squad workout?  

Feb. 17. 

Where is the team’s facility? 

The Phillies play their Grapefruit League games at BayCare Ballpark, which has been their Spring Training home since 2004.  

(They have called Clearwater home since 1947.) 

Before games begin, however, the Phillies work out next door at Carpenter Complex, which is the Phillies’ Minor League training facility. There are four fields there: Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Robin Roberts and Richie Ashburn. 

The Phillies often use all four fields for drills, batting practice, etc.

Can fans attend workouts? 

Of course, and the workouts are free to attend. 

Workout times vary by day, but they typically begin mid-to-late morning and run through early afternoon. 

Who are some new faces fans should know?  

Newcomers to the projected 2025 Opening Day roster include right-handers Jesús Luzardo, Jordan Romano and Joe Ross and left fielder Max Kepler. The Phillies have 24 players coming to camp as non-roster invitees, including several with big league experience. 

Perhaps the most interesting player in that group (non-prospect category) is Japanese right-hander Koyo Aoyagi, who the Phillies signed to a Minor League contract last month.

The Phillies have had just two Japanese-born players play for them in franchise history: infielder Tadahito Iguchi (2007-08) and outfielder So Taguchi (2008). Both played elsewhere before joining the Phillies. 

Aoyagi, who could be a swingman for the Phillies at some point this year, would be the first Japanese-born player they signed from Japan to play in the big leagues. It would be an important step for the Phils, who are working to make inroads in that market. In the past few years, they generated little to no interest from Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. Maybe Aoyagi can help put Philadelphia on the map. 

Who are some of the top prospects invited to Major League camp? 

The Phillies have four prospects in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100. Three of them will be in camp as non-roster invitees: right-hander Andrew Painter (No. 8), shortstop Aidan Miller (No. 27) and center fielder Justin Crawford (No. 64). 

Other Phillies Top 30 prospects include right-handers Mick Abel, Jean Cabrera, Moisés Chace, Seth Johnson, Michael Mercado and Griff McGarry; catcher Caleb Ricketts; infielder Otto Kemp; and outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. 

When is the team’s first Grapefruit League game?  

The Phillies play the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla., on Feb. 22. 

The Phils play their home opener against the Orioles at BayCare Ballpark on Feb. 23.  

What are a few other notable spring games? 

The Phillies host the Yankees and Red Sox on Feb. 27 and 28. They host the Yankees again on March 4 and March 19. But every Clearwater regular knows the best game every spring is St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. 

This year, the Phillies will host the Blue Jays. The ballpark will be packed, especially the tiki bar in left field. The atmosphere will be lively. Wear green. 

If you want to hit the road to watch the Phillies play, they play the Blue Jays in nearby Dunedin on Feb. 26, March 2 (split squad) and March 21 (split squad). Go to the game, then visit downtown Dunedin. You won’t be disappointed. 

If you’re thinking about watching the Phillies play the Twins or Red Sox in Ft. Myers on March 10-11, plan to make that an entire day. The Google-map projected 2-hour, 15-minute drive from Clearwater to Ft. Myers can be close to 3:30 or even longer because of grueling traffic on I-75. 

What is Spring Breakout and when is the game? 

Spring Breakout highlights tomorrow’s stars across all 30 organizations. This year, the top Phillies prospects will play the top Pirates prospects at BayCare Ballpark on March 14. 

It’s a fun opportunity to see Miller, Crawford, Abel and others play alongside each other, sometimes for the first time as teammates. The Phillies played the Tigers’ top prospects last spring and players enjoyed the experience.  

Will the team’s games be televised? 

NBC Sports Philadelphia will broadcast an estimated 12-13 of the Phillies’ 16 home games this spring, although no announcement has been made. (The network typically does not broadcast road games.) 2008 World Series and NLCS MVP Cole Hamels is expected to be in the booth for a couple games. He will be involved in a few of the team’s broadcasts during the regular season.  

The Phillies also broadcast most road games on SportsRadio 94WIP or MLB.com. 

When is the club’s last game in Florida? 

March 24 against the Rays in Clearwater. 

Will there be any additional exhibitions before the regular season? 

No. 

What are the details for Opening Day? 

The Phillies play the Nationals at Nationals Park on Opening Day on March 27. The Phils play their home opener at Citizens Bank Park against the Rockies on March 31. 

Aaron Nola enters 2025 with the fourth-most strikeouts in franchise history (1,779). Carlton (3,031) and Roberts (1,871) hold the first two spots. 

Who’s third? 

A) Cole Hamels 

B) Curt Schilling 

C) Chris Short 

D) Grover Cleveland Alexander 

The Phillies acquired catcher J.T. Realmuto from the Marlins on Feb. 7, 2019, for catcher Jorge Alfaro, prospects Sixto Sánchez and Will Stewart and international bonus pool money. 

A) Cole Hamels 

Hamels finished his Phillies career (2006-15) with 1,844 strikeouts. 

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