Phillies owner John Middleton reminisces about last year’s success ahead of Dodgers series opener

Modified Apr 06, 2025 03:02 GMT

MLB: Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies - Source: Imagn — Phillies owner John Middleton reminisces about last year’s success ahead of Dodgers series opener (Source: Imagn)

Philadelphia Phillies owner John Middleton recently opened up about last year’s dominance against the LA Dodgers. The Phillies, coming off a sweep of the Colorado Rockies in their three-game series, began their new series against the Dodgers on Friday.

Before the series opener, Middleton joined Todd Zolecki, Ruben Amaro Jr. and Jim Salisbury on "The Phillies Show." During the episode, Middleton was asked about the Phillies-Dodgers matchup and LA's stellar 2025 campaign so far. In response, he said:

“I'll remind you, we did beat them both series last year, and not by a little.”

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The Dodgers entered Citizens Bank Park against the Phillies with an 8-0 record. Last season, the Phillies faced the Dodgers in two series and won both. The first came in July, when Philadelphia swept the Dodgers. The second was in August, when the Phillies claimed the series 2-1.

Further, when asked about competing in a league with powerhouses like the Dodgers and the New York Mets, John Middleton responded:

“Look, if you want to win the World Series, whether they're the American League or the National League, the National League West or the National League East, you're going to have to beat them at some point in time. To be the best, you have to beat the best."

“And so it's difficult because the financial resources that the Yankees have, the Mets have, and the Dodgers have is just significantly more than other people.”

In the 2024 season, the Philadelphia Phillies topped the NL East with a 95-67 record. However, they ended their postseason run with a 3-1 loss to the Mets in the NLDS.

Phillies owner John Middleton discusses highest payroll teams’ success

Philadelphia Phillies principal owner John Middleton also shared his thoughts on the success of high-payroll teams, saying:

“I'll also remind people that — I think it was starting in 1981 — that the Yankees had the highest payroll in baseball for 15 consecutive years, and they never managed to win the Eastern Division title and make the postseason. So it's not just about money. It's about having the right players and developing them and keeping them healthy.”

“You don't win it on paper. You don't win in the offseason and you don't win it in the media talk rooms. You win it on the field. So I think we match up with any of them, frankly. I think it's a challenge, but I guess I'm looking forward to it.”

The Phillies are 6-2 so far in the 2025 season and began their series against the Dodgers with a 3-2 win. It marked the Dodgers’ first loss of the season. However, LA bounced back with a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia in the following game.

About the author

Chirag Dhariya is a baseball reporter at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience in content writing and SEO. While it may not seem directly related to his current profession, Chirag believes his graduation in Commerce instilled in him the research and analytical skills essential for this job.

A New York Mets fan, Chirag was introduced to baseball and its popularity in Japan, thanks to anime. He considers Sonny Gray securing his 100th career win in the same place where he got his first win - the Oakland Coliseum, as one of his favorite moments from recent MLB history.

Chirag's writing process involves meticulous research and multiple proofreads to ensure his articles provide the readers with accurate facts packaged in a simple yet engaging manner.

He is also a Google Analytics enthusiast and a huge anime fan who likes to keep himself updated with the current trends in the genre.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro