10 things to know about the Phillies for the 2024 season

Some facts, some fun and even an agonizing anecdote at the end as the Phillies start season No. 142 in their history.

First base trivia: Bryce Harper will be the 10th opening-day first baseman for the Phillies since 2000. The previous nine are Rico Brogna (2000), Travis Lee (2001-02), Jim Thome (2003-05), Ryan Howard (2006-11; 2013-16), Ty Wigginton (2012), Tommy Joseph (2017), Carlos Santana (2018), Rhys Hoskins (2019-22), and Darick Hall (2023).

Hoskins and the Brewers visit Citizens Bank Park June 3-5.

London calling: The Phillies play the Mets at London Stadium on June 8-9. The Fightins’ will be designated the road team on June 8 and the home team on June 9. This is MLB’s third series at London Stadium, which was built as the facility for the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2012 Olympics. Offense was plentiful in the previous four games held in London, between the Yankees-Red Sox (2019) and Cubs-Cardinals (2023). The run totals for the four games were 30, 20, 10 and 12. The combined batting average in the four games was a healthy .339.

Kyle Schwarber could become just the second Phillies player to hit at least 40 homers in three consecutive seasons. Howard (2006-09) is the only one to do it.

When Harper signed with the Phillies in 2019, his 13-year, $330 million contract was the largest in baseball history. Five years later, Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million deal is the largest, and Harper’s $27.5 million salary this year is 23rd among all major leaguers.

Ohtani — assuming the scandal involving his interpreter doesn’t go totally off the rails — will make his first visit to Philadelphia as a Los Angeles Dodger from July 9 to 11. Ohtani went 7-for-23 (.304) in his career at CBP when he was with the Angels, though he’s still looking for his first homer here. He’s never pitched in Philadelphia and won’t be pitching at all this season after elbow surgery.

That series wraps up a rugged nine-game stretch that starts with trips to Chicago to play the Cubs (July 2-4) and Atlanta (July 5-7). All three teams — the Cubs, Braves, and Dodgers — are favored to win their respective divisions. The final series against Atlanta is Aug. 29-Sept. 1 in Philadelphia.

Aaron Nola is 10 away from becoming the ninth pitcher to win 100 games for the Phillies. That list consists of Steve Carlton (241), Robin Roberts (234), Grover Alexander (190), Chris Short (132), Curt Simmons (115), Cole Hamels (114), Curt Schilling (101), and Al Orth (100). Nola (1,582) needs four strikeouts to pass Short for the third-most in team history. He’s not catching Carlton (3,031), but passing Roberts (1,871) and Hamels (1,844) is possible in a couple of years for the 30-year-old Nola.

A quick look at some BetMGM Phillies odds as of March 23: To win the division, 3-1 (actually +325); to win the National League 8-1; to win the World Series 15-1; to win 100 games, 5-1; to make the playoffs, 1-2; to lead the majors in home runs hit, 28-1; to finish last in the NL East, 40-1. Their over/under win total is 89.5.

New utilityman Whit Merrifield was 27 when he made his major-league debut in 2016 with Kansas City. His persistence has paid off to the tune of 1,184 career hits, three All-Star appearances, and more than $25 million in earnings. Merrifield’s father, Bill, hit 19 homers in triple A in 1987 and was called up by the Pirates. But — in a Moonlight Graham moment — a rainout ruined what would have been his debut, and he was sent back to the minors, never to reach the majors again.