The Phillies head back to regular season play this Thursday. Here’s what to expect, how to watch and who to watch for

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The Philadelphia Phillies kick off their season this Thursday and look to build upon last year’s National League East Division title and add some more flags to the outfield at Citizens Bank Park.

Not too long ago, the Phillies won the NL pennant after a decade without making a playoff appearance. These days, Philadelphia is fully behind the Fightin’ Phils as they aim for a fourth straight playoff appearance.

Currently, the team has the fourth-best betting odds to win the World Series, according to FanDuel. John Stolnis, host of WHYY’s podcast Hittin’ Season, said this might be the year to go all-in with the Phillies.

“I really, truly feel the Phillies are winning the World Series this year,” Stolnis said. “I think they’re competitive with the Braves and the Mets. Those three teams are pretty equal in my eyes… this is the year that the Phillies put it all together.”

Who to watch for, who’s under the most pressure

Philadelphia had eight players named to last year’s MLB All-Star Game, including two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper who chipped in 30 home runs for the Phillies last year.

“I think Harper’s going to have the best season,” Stolnis said. “I think he’s going to have an MVP-type season…This might even be the year he hits 40 or more home runs.”

The pressure is on for All-Star Alec Bohm after trade rumors circled the third baseman during the offseason following struggles in the 2024 National League Division Series. Stolnis said it’s not “terribly fair” considering his performance during the regular season.

“I think he’s probably under the most pressure just because of all of the narratives surrounding how his season went last year, but to be perfectly honest with you, every single player in the everyday lineup is under an immense amount of scrutiny,” Stolnis said.

As for who’s set up to have a breakout season, Stolnis believes Bryson Stott could emerge as the next Phillies All-Star, which could’ve happened last season if not for an elbow injury that sidelined him.

“He’s looked great this spring, he plays great defense at second base,” Stolnis said. “He’s just entering his prime now. This feels like a put it all together kind of year for Bryson Stott.”

Phillies Manager Rob Thomson will lead the team once again after being granted a contract extension keeping him on the squad until 2026. Thomson’s .575 winning percentage is the best for any manager in franchise history, according to the Associated Press.

How to get tickets

Individual tickets can be purchased at phillies.com/tickets or by calling 215-463-1000. The team’s first home game is Monday, March 31 against the Colorado Rockies at 3:05 p.m.

Full season ticket deposits are already available for $1,505 and partial season ticket plans start at nearly $500. Payment plans allow fans to either pay in full or be enrolled in an auto-renewal program to get a head start on tickets for the 2026 season, if desired.

At least 21,000 season tickets were already sold by December 2024, according to Major League Baseball. The Phillies had 60 home games with over 40,000 fans in attendance during the 2024 season, including 47 sellouts. Stolnis said the best idea for anyone wanting to check out a game is to plan ahead.

“You can still walk up and get some tickets, but it’s not like in my heyday of the Vet when you could just walk up to will call and just get a $5 general admission seat,” Stolnis said. “Those days have been gone for a long time. They’re not giving away tickets and Phillies Franks anymore, so call ahead, order a ticket and plan it.”

What Citizens Bank Park has to offer

Citizens Bank Park has a full slate of events scheduled and new food items to get fans hyped for the season. The talk of the town has to be the S’mores Quesadilla and Red Velvet Affogato, but for Stolnis, his ballpark meal of choice is Kyle’s Chicken Cutlets.

“I will have to take out a small loan in order to purchase that sandwich and drink to go with it, but that sounded like a good dose of protein,” Stolnis said.

Notable theme nights and events this season include Nurses Night, Country Music Night and a post-game concert featuring Nelly. A full 2025 home schedule for the Phillies season can be found here.

How to watch

MLB and NBC Sports Philadelphia reached a deal earlier this month to stream games directly to fans through MLB.TV during the 2025 season. The Phillies package costs $24.95 per month and can be bundled with MLB. NBC Sports Philadelphia will air 149 of the team’s 162 games during the season through TV and streaming broadcasts, while FOX (6), ESPN (4), Apple TV+ (2) and Roku (1) will air the remaining 13 games.

Philadelphia will face the Washington Nationals at 4:05 p.m. Thursday at Nationals Park before opening Citizens Bank Park against the Colorado Rockies on March 31 at 3:05 p.m. Both games will be televised on NBC10.