Here’s a look at the Phillies’ Opening Day roster Clemens claims final bench spot over Kennedy..
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Phillies finalized their Opening Day roster ahead of their game against the Nationals on Thursday, a few days after they told Kody Clemens he made the team over Buddy Kennedy.
The Phillies hoped to trade Kennedy before officially setting their roster on Thursday, but because they were unable to find a fit, he was designated for assignment.
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Here is the roster:
Catcher (2): J.T. Realmuto, Rafael Marchán
Garrett Stubbs had a strong spring, batting .286 (6-for-21) with two doubles, four RBIs, three walks and an .804 OPS, but he had an option remaining. Marchán is out of options, which made him the favorite entering camp to be Realmuto’s backup.
The Phils almost certainly would have lost Marchán on waivers if he hadn’t made the team. The organization doesn’t have much catching depth behind Marchán and Stubbs, so Stubbs was the odd man out.
Randy Arozarena hits 3-run homer against former team as Rays lose in Seattle – Orlando Sentinel
Rafael Marchán’s RBI double
Mar 2, 2025 · 0:29
Rafael Marchán’s RBI double
First baseman (1): Bryce Harper
Harper finished sixth in NL MVP voting in 2024, his first full season as a first baseman. He not only is a perennial MVP candidate, but a Gold Glove candidate, too.
Second baseman (1): Bryson Stott
Stott played with an injured right elbow last year. The Phillies believe it affected him offensively. If so, Stott is a nice bounce-back candidate. He slashed .280/.329/.419 in 2023, before going .245/.315/.356 last year. If Stott matches or improves upon his 2023 season, it would be a boost to the lineup.
Randy Arozarena hits 3-run homer against former team as Rays lose in Seattle – Orlando Sentinel
Shortstop (1): Trea Turner
Turner played like an MVP and batting-title candidate in the first half, posting a .941 OPS before the All-Star break. He posted a .687 OPS after it. Turner is looking for more consistency in his third season with the Phillies. It might come as the new leadoff hitter.
Third baseman (1): Alec Bohm
Early in the offseason, it looked like the Phillies might trade Bohm to reshape an offense that arguably needed a shakeup. But Bohm is back. Wouldn’t it be something if he had a monster year after all the trade talk?
Randy Arozarena hits 3-run homer against former team as Rays lose in Seattle – Orlando Sentinel
Alec Bohm’s third homer of the spring
Mar 8, 2025 · 0:29
Alec Bohm’s third homer of the spring
Outfielders (4): Nick Castellanos, Max Kepler, Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas
Castellanos, Kepler and Marsh will be the Opening Day outfielders. No surprises there. Rojas will be the fourth outfielder. The Phillies plan to play Kepler and Marsh almost every day to start the season, giving them opportunities to play against left-handed pitchers. If they play well, they will continue to face them. If they struggle, Rojas could get more opportunities.
DH (1): Kyle Schwarber
The only question is where Schwarber hits in the lineup. He might hit first or fourth, depending on the handedness of the opposing starting pitcher.
Randy Arozarena hits 3-run homer against former team as Rays lose in Seattle – Orlando Sentinel
Kyle Schwarber on his approach, lineup movement
Mar 5, 2025 · 6:05
Kyle Schwarber on his approach, lineup movement
Utility (2): Kody Clemens, Edmundo Sosa
Sosa was a lock since camp opened, but Clemens got the nod before the Phillies played their final Grapefruit League game on Monday.
Both Clemens and Kennedy entered camp without options. Neither was expected to play much early in the season, so the Phillies chose Clemens, who had an excellent spring. Weston Wilson will open the season on the injured list with an oblique injury. When he is healthy and playing again, he could move into Clemens’ spot. Wilson hits right-handed. Clemens hits left-handed.
Randy Arozarena hits 3-run homer against former team as Rays lose in Seattle – Orlando Sentinel
Starting pitchers (5): Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, Taijuan Walker
Ranger Suárez will open the season on the 15-day injured list because of a sore lower back. He could rejoin the rotation before the end of April. The Phils said they will not rush Suárez, who has a history of back issues. Walker will take Suárez’s place in the rotation in the meantime. He has thrown the ball better this spring than he did at any point last year.
2025 Mariners Minor League Recap, April 7 – April 13..
A whole lot of good mixed with a just a touch of bad..
7-8.
Randy Arozarena hits 3-run homer against former team as Rays lose in Seattle – Orlando Sentinel
After a hot start, the Rainiers have fallen towards the middle of the pack in the PCL standings. With a tight group in the West division, the Rainiers find themselves just a few games back of Las Vegas for the top spot. They’ve seen some improved play as of late with some of the big names starting to get going, however with promotions imminent, the Rainiers may find themselves with some holes that need patching up.
Randy Arozarena hits 3-run homer against former team as Rays lose in Seattle – Orlando Sentinel
The big news of the week comes in the form of a player leaving the team, with Ben Williamson earning a promotion to the big league squad where he’ll presumably make his debut early this week. Williamson is known predominantly for his glove at the hot corner where he’ll instantly give a much needed boost to an infield that’s been spotty at best. Depending on how the M’s want to shake out their infield, I’d expect Williamson to get a substantial amount of run at third from the get go. The bat has been a bit slower to heat up than the glove, but his approach at the plate should be more conducive to success in T-Mobile Park than most and his tempered offensive expectations mean he won’t have to do much at the plate to be a net positive. Hopefully Williamson can bring some line drives and flashy defense to a Mariners team that’s looking to build on a series sweep over Texas.
Randy Arozarena hits 3-run homer against former team as Rays lose in Seattle – Orlando Sentinel
Utility man Samad Taylor had a hot week at the plate, tallying a 7-20 week that featured two doubles and a two homer game that concluded with his walk off winner during Saturday night’s game. Taylor has excellent speed on the bases and can cover both the infield and outfield positionally. If Leo Rivas, Miles Mastrobuoni, or another bench bat struggles, don’t be shocked if Samad makes his way up to Seattle.
