Phillies hope time off in MLB playoffs leads to increased odds for World Series title

PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper snagged a one-hopper on an infield drill, earning a “nice play, Harp!” from manager Rob Thomson. A two-time NL MVP, Harper later chucked a baseball from first base into the left field seats.

“That won’t get it done,” infield coach Bobby Dickerson yelled. “That guy’s going to score.”

Harper and the rest of the NL East champion Phillies will do what they can this week to stay sharp ahead of Game 1 Saturday in the NL Division Series. The Phillies — who will play either Milwaukee or the Mets — made the playoffs for the third straight season, a 2024 division championship flag already waved from atop its pole in the outfield concourse.

While October baseball has a familiar feel in Philly, the five-day layoff is new. The Phillies won NL Wild Card Series with sweeps of St. Louis in 2022 and the Marlins last season before they knocked out Atlanta in the NLDS both years. The Phillies’ 12th division crown earned them the No. 2 seed behind Los Angeles in the National League — and a short respite from the playoff grind.

Just don’t call it a break.

“It’s not a vacation,” second baseman Bryson Stott said following Tuesday’s workout.

The Phillies took batting practice, infield drills and pitchers fielding drills as they tried to keep a routine as close to normal as it gets during the regular season. Led by team captains that include Harper and Trea Turner for one team, and Kyle Schwarber and J.T Realmuto for the other, the Phillies will play an intrasquad game this week.

After brief consideration, the Phillies decided not to open the game to the public (or the media) like the Braves did in their intrasquad games last season.

“We’re going at it high level,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. “I think the players, knowing them, they realize that. They know they need to do that. I think the intensity level and emphasis of that is extremely important. The constant message was, you really need to work with intensity, and not just come and show up.”

Dombrowski helped run the front office for World Series winners in the Marlins in 1997 and Red Sox in 2018. His teams in Detroit lost twice in the World Series and the Phillies fell to Houston in 2022.

Who knows how many more chances the core of this team will get to win a championship under Thomson.

Short window

The Phillies had an opening day payroll just north of $243 million this season, about $7.2 million more than last season’s team. They signed potential Game 2 starter Cristopher Sánchez to a $22.5 million, four-year contract through 2028. The Phillies are in line to face stiffer financial penalties next season should they top a second luxury tax threshold. Ownership under John Middleton’s direction hasn’t been afraid to spend to keep the Phillies a contender.

“I don’t feel like our window is closing,” Dombrowski said. “I keep hearing that. I think what happens, sometimes it closes with the current players that you have. But it doesn’t mean that it closes overall. I’m not saying that this is the time period. But we have young players coming that I really like. We also have ownership that’s very kind to us with our expenditures on payroll. So what you’re ideally looking to do is, some players age, they get older, and some of their skills diminish at times.”

Rest vs. rust

Let’s face it, Philly loves an underdog.

The Phillies thrived in that role the last two seasons, knocking off two Braves teams that topped 100 wins on their way to deep playoff runs.

Consider now, as of Tuesday, only the Dodgers and Yankees had better odds to win the World Series, per BetMGM Sportsbook.

So much for the underdog motivation?

“I don’t think that will be the determining factor. These guys are driven to win,” Dombrowski said. “For us, the success comes with winning the world championship. Now it puts us in a position to set our club up better. I think they’ll be driven as much as they’ve ever been driven.”

Injury update

RHP Spencer Turnbull (right lat strain) said he did “feel like I’m ready” to return after not having pitched for the Phillies since June 26. Turnbull (3-0, 2.65 ERA) hoped to pitch two or three innings in a simulated game. ... OF Austin Hays says his sore back feels good and the rest should do him good ahead of the NLDS. The right-handed hitting Hays would likely start in left field against left-handed starters.