Philadelphia Phillies DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh (knee) left Sunday's contest against the Baltimore Orioles early after picking up a knee bruise. The good news is that he was removed from the game for precautionary reasons and is on record stating that if it were the regular season, he "most definitely" would have stayed in the game. The 27-year-old slipped on the warning track in the first inning, landing hard on his knee. He'd again land on the same knee in the third, making a catch in center field. While it isn't thought to be a significant issue, manager Rob Thomson noted that he won't play on Monday as previously scheduled. Fellow outfielder Max Kepler also left Sunday's outing early, and the Phillies are beginning to get thin at that position. Fortunately, both can be considered day-to-day.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos (illness) is returning to the starting nine on Saturday afternoon. Castellanos is slated to cover right field and bat in the six-hole. Castellanos has been sidelined earlier in the week due to this illness. However, given that he is returning to the lineup, suggests he will not be in any danger of missing Opening Day. During the regular season, fantasy managers should expect the 33-year-old to be the everyday right fielder in the Philadelphia lineup. Last summer, Castellanos posted a .254/.311/.431 slash line with 30 doubles and 23 home runs. He swiped six bags and added 80 runs and 86 RBI. Under the hood, he generated a strong .271 xBA with a .333 xwOBA, which suggests that he should see some positive regression in 2025. Castellanos should be viewed as a high-floor No.3 outfielder in all formats.

Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (back) made his Cactus League debut on Friday against the Los Angles Angels and said he felt great afterwards. Estevez gave up an unearned run and two hits while throwing 12 of his 19 pitches for strikes in an inning of work. "I feel great," Estvez said. "Everything is going well with my body, and I'm in a good spot. The 32-year-old veteran was delayed getting into games after experiencing mild back tightness in the early portion of camp. After signing a two-year, $22.2 million deal with KC in the offseason, Estevez figures to be their primary choice for saves, although Lucas Erceg and Hunter Harvey could also be involved. As long as his back doesn't flare up on him Estevez is expected to be ready for Opening Day on March 27. Fantasy managers should consider him a No. 2 closer option heading into his first year with the Royals.

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper established himself as one of the league's best defensive first baseman in 2024 in his first full season playing the position. But in the offseason, he offered to return to the outfield if the Phillies were to acquire a big bat (such as Pete Alonso) to play first base. It came after Harper said in February of last year that he never wanted to move back to the outfield. The 32-year-old two-time MVP says he's still open to moving back to right field if the Phillies were to acquire a first baseman at the trade deadline this summer. "The main goal is to win the World Series." Alonso re-signed with the Mets, but perhaps the Phillies look to trade for Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is in the final year of his deal. Offensively, Harper returned to the 30-homer mark in 2024 and will come off the board in the early rounds of drafts as one of the best first baseman available.

Philadelphia Phillies left-handed pitcher Matt Strahm (shoulder) will be re-evaluated on Saturday. Manager Rob Thompson noted that he is feeling better. Strahm has been dealing with an impingement in his left shoulder and could be in danger of missing Opening Day. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the team will likely provide clarity on his status after his evaluation on Saturday. Last season, the southpaw was one of the most reliable arms in the Philadelphia bullpen as he held a strong 1.87 ERA with a 0.75 WHIP across 62 2/3 innings. He tallied 79 punchouts and had elite control, serving up walks at a 4.6 percent rate. He tallied three saves and 18 holds. If Strahm were to miss time, fantasy managers should expect Orion Kerkering and Jose Alvarado to be deployed primarily as the setup options.