Phillies fans will cringe at reason for pitching staff’s dubious preseason ranking
A healthy Phillies pitching staff will be one of the best in the league, even if they’re not ranked No. 1 before the season.
The excitement is in the air for Philadelphia Phillies fans as the regular season is just days away. Major League Baseball continues to release all sorts of countdowns, from players to team rankings. The latest from MLB.com is the Top 10 pitching staffs, according to writer Anthony Castrovince.
To nobody’s surprise, after the offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers check in at the top at No. 1. Even with what some fans consider a questionable and disappointing offseason, the Phillies enter at No. 2 in the rankings.
In addition to the top-tier talent the Dodgers possess, it’s the depth that they continued to add through the offseason that gives them the No. 1 spot.
Phillies’ pitching staff among the best in the game but depth is the question
The Phillies, on the other hand, have a lot to be excited about from the top spots of the roster.
“They don’t have the crazy amount of depth that the Dodgers possess,” Castrovince writes about the Phillies. “But pound for pound, a healthy Phillies staff could outpitch L.A. and anyone else.”
Obviously, there’s a lot of positivity that this team can go toe to toe with the Dodgers’ pitching staff. It makes the head turn that he says the Phillies can outpitch anyone in the league when healthy but that he still finds a way to throw the Dodgers at No. 1 due to their depth.
