2 PHILLIES

O/U WINS: 31 KEY PLAYER: SS Didi Gregorius (right). He bet on himself by accepting a one-year deal to play for his old manager Joe Girardi, and boy, could the Phillies benefit from seeing the Gregorius who blossomed under Girardi in The Bronx. Didi wasn’t nearly that guy last year with the Yankees after returning from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Which is why he’s here on a short-term agreement.

PLAYER WHO’LL NEED TO STEP UP: RHP Jake Arrieta, getting paid like an ace, didn’t give the Phils much last year as a bone spur in his right elbow slowed him down. In the last guaranteed year of his contract, he’ll try to boost his own value as well as his team’s success.

NAME YOU’LL GET TO KNOW: RHP Spencer Howard performed well for Double-A Reading in a late-season audition and is on the Phillies’ list of eligible players for this season. He could be in the mix if any of the veteran starters go down.

BIGGEST QUESTION MARK: The infield. The versatile and valuable Scott Kingery experienced a rough bout with coronavirus and likely won’t be at full strength for a while. Gregorius must reprove himself. 1B Rhys Hoskins and 3B Jean Segura ,who will slide over from shortstop to accommodate Gregorius, performed merely adequately last year.

HOW IT’LL GO DOWN: Girardi got the job with the hope that he could improve both the culture and game management. With plenty of talent on hand, he’ll prove capable of both tasks. The Phillies could make a spirited run for the division title and gain their first playoff berth since 2011.