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Meet the 2021 Philadelphia Phillies: Here's the team's Opening Day roster

The 2021 edition of the Philadelphia Phillies will begin their season at home against the Atlanta Braves at 3:05 p.m. on April 1.

PHILADELPHIA — Editor's note: The above video is from Oct. 12, 2020.

The 2021 Major League Baseball season kicks off with Opening Day.

Thursday, April 1 will serve as the start of the season for the league.

For the Philadelphia Phillies, that means opening the season at home in Citizens Bank Park against the Atlanta Braves at 3:05 p.m.

Of course, with the end of Spring Training comes the naming of the 26-man roster.

Here's how the Phillies will line up to begin the season:

Projected Starting Lineup

1. Andrew McCutchen, LF

McCutchen, 34, is set to serve as the Phillies leadoff man for the third straight year. Now that he is set to be nearly two years removed from knee surgery, the team hopes they will get a quality performance from the former MVP.

2. Rhys Hoskins, 1B

Coming off offseason elbow surgery, Hoskins is looking to prove he can be a consistent run producer. Hoskins himself has a chance to score a ton of runs by hitting in front of the likes of Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto.

3. Bryce Harper, RF

Harper could be poised for his best season with the Phillies, after absolutely crushing the ball in Spring Training. He now has solid lineup protection with Hoskins in front of him and Realmuto, Alec Bohm, and Didi Gregorius behind him. Harper will get his fair share of pitches to hit.

Credit: AP
Philadelphia Phillies' J.T. Realmuto, right, and Bryce Harper celebrate after Realmuto's three-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

4. J.T. Realmuto, C

In the last full MLB season in 2019, Realmuto had career-highs in home runs and RBI's. A similar performance in the middle of the lineup is what the Phillies are hoping for.

5. Alec Bohm, 3B

Bohm finished as the runner up in the 2020 Rookie of the Year race, while hitting .338 with 4 home runs and 23 RBI's over 160 at-bats. While he is likely not to hit .338 again, the Phillies are hoping to see similar production from Bohm stretched out over a full season.

6. Didi Gregorius, SS

Gregorius made his impact on the 2020 Phillies, smacking 10 home runs with 40 RBI's while hitting .284. The team brought the shortstop back on a two-year deal, and he again has the chance to be the left-handed power bat in the bottom of the Phillies order. In his last full healthy season in 2018, Gregorius hit 27 home runs for the New York Yankees.

7. Jean Segura, 2B

Segura has settled into what is probably his best defensive home at second base. Since his acquisition in 2019, Segura hasn't performed like he had for the Seattle Mariners or Arizona Diamondbacks, so the Phillies are hoping he can return to being that .300 hitter with some pop.

Credit: AP
Philadelphia Phillies' Jean Segura hits a two-run home run during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets on Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

8. Adam Haseley, CF

Haseley won the center field job out of Spring Training almost by default. He is still a young player that was not too long ago considered a top prospect. It's his opportunity to show that he deserves that spot. What will determine if he keeps it is his ability to hit left-handed pitching.

9. Pitcher's spot

Bench

1. Ronald Torreyes, IF

Torreyes is a solid infielder that can play the middle spots and third base. He is a Joe Girardi guy -- someone who played under him while he was manager of the Yankees.

2. Brad Miller, IF/OF

When Miller played for the Phillies in 2019, he showed some pop at times the team needed it most. He has the ability to play nearly anywhere on the field in a pinch, but has the most experience in the infield.

3. Matt Joyce, OF

Joyce is a left-handed bat with some pop that can play either corner outfield position.

4. Andrew Knapp, C

The switch-hitting Knapp will serve as J.T. Realmuto's backup for the third straight season. Despite it being shortened, last year was arguably the best year of his career.

5. Roman Quinn, OF

The oft-injured Quinn also has a chance to claim the center field job from Haseley. If he can stay healthy and find a way to get on base, Quinn's speed makes him a weapon at the bottom of the Phillies lineup.

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Aaron Nola, RHP

Nola is undoubtedly the Phillies ace, but will need to show more consistency down the stretch of the season for the team to have the success it is seeking.

Credit: AP
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola delivers a pitch during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

2. Zack Wheeler, RHP

The Phillies are likely hoping for another performance like 2020 from Wheeler, just stretched out over an entire season.

3. Zach Eflin, RHP

Eflin has a chance to prove himself to be a solid Major League starting pitcher. He has dealt with injury issues and inconsistency thus far in his career.

4. Matt Moore, LHP

Moore returns to the Major Leagues after spending a season pitching in Japan. After a solid spring training, Moore has a chance to be the team's most consistent left-handed starting pitcher in years.

5. Chase Anderson, RHP

Anderson is looking to rebound after a rough 2020 season, but has had success in the past at the Major League level. He may not have the stuff of a Vince Velasquez, but Anderson won the job because he has control of his pitches and can get hitters out.

Projected Bullpen

Closer - Hector Neris, RHP

Girardi named Neris his closer... for now. Neris has shown that he struggles in the closer's role, but has had success as a setup man. With a number of different options on hand with closer's experience, Neris may not have a grip on the job for long.

Setup - Archie Bradley, RHP

Bradley served as the closer for the Diamondbacks before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds last summer. Bradley has two plus offerings, while Neris is a true one-pitch-pitcher -- relying on a splitter alone to get the job done.

Credit: AP
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Archie Bradley delivers during a spring training exhibition baseball game against the New York Yankees in Tampa, Fla., Monday, March 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Setup - Jose Alvarado, LHP

Alvarado looked like an all-world arm in Spring Training after joining the team via trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. He throws nearly 100 MPH, and has a breaking ball that goes every which way. If he has control of his pitches, Alvarado could be a weapon for the Phillies.

Setup - Brandon Kintzler, RHP

Kintzler served as the closer for the Miami Marlins last season, and while he doesn't have the velocity to blow people away, he pitches with a "bulldog mentality" and induces a ton of ground balls throughout his career.

Middle relief - Connor Brogdon, RHP

After struggling early in 2020, Brogdon improved down the stretch and showed off some velocity that was definitely intriguing to the team. He now gets a chance to carve out his role at the Major League level.

Middle relief - David Hale, RHP

Hale is another Joe Girardi guy -- someone who played under him while he was manager of the Yankees. 

Middle relief - Sam Coonrod, RHP

Velocity. He throws hard. That's the only reason he appears to have made this team.

Coonrod had an ERA over 5.00 with the San Francisco Giants last season. He had a better performance in Spring Training with the Phillies.

Long relief/spot starter - Vince Velasquez, RHP

Velasquez is moving into a role that will define itself as the season moves on. He may start some games early if the team feels it needs to skip someone or give someone an extra day. Velasquez could also "piggyback" off a starter and go for multiple innings. How effective will he be in those roles will also define how the Phillies use him.

 

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