The Philadelphia Phillies retain most of a roster that won 95 games last season while also adding left-handed starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo and outfielder Max Kepler. They should once again be a force near the top of the National League. But everyone is chasing the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who somehow got considerably better on paper after a fruitful winter.

They could be one of the most intimidating teams ever assembled. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is not trembling, however. He thinks his ballclub is equipped to beat LA and is citing recent history to help make his point.

“I don’t hear anybody say, ‘Hey, the Phillies beat the Dodgers five out of six last year,’” the longtime executive said at the team’s spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida, per NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman. “We did. They’ve got a tremendous club, as do others in our league, but I think we match up against anybody. I hope we get that opportunity in October.”

That is an… interesting argument. Regular season head-to-head matchups are irrelevant when the champ is crowned. Dombrowski should know that better than anyone, considering he constructed the Florida Marlins squad that won the 1997 World Series from the wild card slot. October is unpredictable. Though, plenty of people saw the Phillies’ 2024 demise coming.