We know all about homes, and one maxim that holds true is the value of a smart makeover. But the merits of a makeover aren’t limited to the realm of real estate. Just ask the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies.
Mired in mediocrity nearly one-third of the way through the season, the Phils opted for a somewhat extreme makeover and fired manager Joe Girardi. It was akin to removing an unnecessary wall and flooding the dugout with gorgeous, natural light.
Right after the managerial makeover, the Phils reeled off an eight-game winning streak, caught fire over the summer, and rode the good vibes all the way to a wild-card playoff berth.
But even new skipper Rob Thomson couldn’t have predicted the team’s amazing post-season success. The Phils knocked off favored foes and made an amazing march all the way to the World Series. Now facing the biggest mismatch in the Fall Classic since 1906 (seriously!), the Phils are looking to knock off the widely despised Houston Astros.
If Thomson winds up leading the team to a World Series win, he’ll likely never have to buy another drink in Philadelphia. But he probably will need to settle down and buy a home.
We couldn’t figure out exactly where the Phillies new manager currently resides, but we were able to track down many of the homes of the Phillies. Let’s have a look at where the players rest their heads.
Bryce Harper’s New Jersey digs
Let’s start with the team’s superstar: the man with the power that helped propel the Phillies’ unlikely run to the World Series.
Harper landed in Philadelphia in 2019 after starring in the nation’s capital for seven seasons. The dashing young outfielder wasted no time in finding a home in the area.
Like other noted Philly stars, he opted for an address in the Garden State. In summer 2019, he paid $2.1 million for a brand-new, four-bedroom home in Haddonfield, NJ.
The lovely modern farmhouse on a private street was touted as offering “nearly every kind of special room, feature, and amenity imaginable.” That includes a “custom fitness center.”
The town just east of Philly is no stranger to luxury homes: Of the nearly 50 homes currently on the market in Haddonfield, five are priced above $2.5 million.
High Roller: Harper’s Vegas-area home
A Las Vegas native, Harper made a safe bet in 2016 with the purchase of a sleek mansion in Henderson, NV.
Purchased three years before Harper signed a massive $330 million contract with the Phillies, his Nevada home is a home run.
For one, he snagged a 23% discount on the home. It was listed in early 2015 for $3,495,000. A year later, the slugger sealed a deal for $2.7 million.
The five-bedroom home on a half-acre lot is spacious and provides a distant view of the twinkling lights of the Las Vegas Strip. Luxe highlights of the modern home include a cascading water wall, a glass-enclosed wine wall for 360 bottles, and a floating staircase.
With over 7,300 square feet of living space and a location that backs up to the Rio Secco Golf Club, it’s a dreamy offseason desert retreat.
Kyle Schwarber
One of just two Phillies with World Series experience, the slugging Schwarber has impressed fans with his prodigious post-season home runs.
An Ohio native, Schwarber owns a 5-acre parcel in Germantown, OH, a small town located about midway between Dayton and Cincinnati. Property records indicate there’s a three-bedroom home on the rural property, but the man with the big swing might have bigger plans for this property.
His mailing address corresponds with another property in the Buckeye State: a relatively modest three-bedroom home in the suburbs north of Cincy that was purchased in December 2018 for $344,100. The ranch-style residence features two kitchens and five additional rooms on a fully finished lower level. It might have been a purchase for a family member—perhaps his parents.
It doesn’t appear that Schwarber’s truly splurged yet and used the full heft of the $79 million contract he inked in March.
Right now, the only other property we found tied to the outfielder is a basic three-bedroom condo in Tampa, FL, which he purchased in 2014 for just $138,000.
The condo is located in a gated community close to the waters of Tampa Bay. If area comps are any indication, the condo is likely worth north of $300,000 these days.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto
The All-Star backstop keeps an offseason home in his native Oklahoma. Brand-new when Realmuto purchased it for $399,000 in July 2016, the home in Choctaw, OK, was marketed as a “rare find.”
Sitting on just over a half-acre in the suburbs east of Oklahoma City, the residence boasts a covered back patio, custom woodwork, and a bonus room upstairs.
Like Harper, Realmuto also calls Haddonfield home during the season. We’re on the lookout for exactly how close he is to his buddy Bryce.
New Phillie Nick Castellanos
Castellanos signed a five-year, $100 million deal to play for the Phillies in March. However, his first season in the City of Brotherly Love wasn’t all romance. His offensive output slipped, and he was booed over the summer as he struggled to acclimate to Philly.
But he’s likely redeemed himself with a crucial role in the team’s success this post-season. And because he’ll be in town for a while, he’s settled down in style.
Castellanos bought the Haddonfield, NJ, mansion of former Philadelphia Sixers star Ben Simmons. The disgruntled NBA All-Star put his Jersey home up for sale in October 2021 for $5 million—while he was still on the Sixers roster. The drama surrounding Simmons’ decision to sell his home made it that week’s most popular home in the entire country.
Castellanos picked up the home for $4.55 million in April 2022. Located at the end of a cul-de-sac, the 10,477-square-foot mansion features dual islands in the kitchen, a luxe home office with built-in cabinetry, and a huge primary suite with a private terrace.
In the offseason, the Florida native makes his home in the Miami metro area in the suburban community of Southwest Ranches.
In January 2019, the slugger and his wife purchased a seven-bedroom, 7,581-square-foot mansion for $2,275,000. Sitting on a 5-acre lot that stretches across two parcels, the mansion features an open floor plan, a huge primary suite, and a glorious outdoor pool.
Not finished in Florida, the couple purchased a four-bedroom home kitty-corner from their gated mansion. They closed on a deal on the home across the street for $1,875,000 in June 2021. While the house is smaller, at just 3,462 square feet, its 3-acre lot comes with a stable for horses.
Rhys Hoskins stays downtown
The first baseman broke into the big leagues with the Phils in 2017. He’s endured ups and downs over the past six seasons, but his emphatic bat spike after belting a home run against the Padres in this year’s playoffs cemented his place in the Philly sports pantheon.
In the middle of his third season in Philadelphia, Hoskins put down roots right in the center of the city. He spent $1.65 million on a townhouse right off Broad Street. The three-bedroom, 4,200-square-foot dwelling boasts a roof deck and multiple outdoor spaces.
Inside, the modern finishes are highlighted by a chef’s kitchen, wide-plank wood flooring, and a cozy fireplace.
Hoskins also has a three-bedroom home in his hometown of Sacramento, CA. The property appears to have been transferred to his name from his father in 2015. The unassuming ranch-style house on the north end of the state’s capital city serves as either Hoskins’ offseason crash pad or a long-term investment.
Brotherly Love in Louisiana: Aaron Nola
The ace pitcher won the battle of the brothers in the NLCS, defeating San Diego and his brother Austin, the Padres catcher. Plenty of ink was spilled covering the Nola brothers’ unique tale and the tribulations of their parents, who couldn’t evince any favoritism for either of the two teams.
The Nola parents had to travel from their home in Baton Rouge, LA, to both San Diego and Philadelphia to root for their sons.
It wasn’t shocking to see Aaron keeps a place back home in Baton Rouge, even after eight seasons with the Phillies. Located on the city’s south side, it’s just a few short blocks from Louisiana State University, where Aaron starred as a college hurler. Beyond the location, information on his Louisiana residence is scant. From the street, it looks like a perfectly charming home.
Zack Wheeler
Fellow ace Wheeler signed a five-year, $118 million contract with the Phillies after the 2019 season.
Prior to his big payday, Wheeler splurged on a seven-bedroom home in Canton, GA, in January 2019. His offseason getaway spans a whopping 9,184 square feet and sits on the waters of Lake Allatoona about an hour north of Atlanta.
Featuring a seven-car garage, the huge home landed on the market in October 2018 for $1.35 million. Wheeler scooped it up for $1.31 million just a few months later.
Other highlights of the home include an elevator, a luxury spa, and a home theater with stadium seating. Out back, there’s a huge pool, patio, and waterfall.
Executive genius Dave Dombrowski
The general manager who put the team together now calls Nashville, TN, home. Prior to taking his post with the Phillies in late 2020, he was spearheading an effort to bring an MLB team to Music City.
Still tied to Tennessee while assembling the Phillies roster, the well-traveled baseball executive bought a five-bedroom home in Nashville in April 2021 for $2.36 million.
Located in the city’s Forest Hills neighborhood, the brand-new residence was marketed as offering “high-quality finishes from top to bottom.” Designed with a large outdoor space for entertaining, the home on just over an acre of land also features a main-floor primary suite, a chef’s kitchen, and a guest suite.
After spending over five decades in baseball front offices, Dombrowski’s constructed multiple World Series-worthy rosters. He’s also been busy with real estate transactions.
In 2015, he purchased a glorious six-bedroom residence in Brookline, MA, after being hired by the Boston Red Sox. That purchase foretold the sale of his six-bedroom home in Bloomfield Hills, MI, which he owned while serving as GM of the Detroit Tigers.
Signing the checks: John Middleton
The team owner made his billions when he sold the family tobacco business in 2007. He bought his first stake in the Phillies in 1994 and has amassed more equity in the franchise over the past three decades. Middleton assumed the role of principal owner in 2015.
With his vast wealth, Middleton has also accumulated an impressive property portfolio. He owns a massive mansion in Bryn Mawr, PA, as well as a fabulous seven-bedroom oceanfront mansion along the Jersey Shore in Avalon, NJ.
But his crowning property achievement just might be the oceanfront estate known as Turtle Bluff in Palm Beach, FL. Built from scratch to Middleton’s specifications, the British colonial-style mansion has won local acclaim for its landscape design.
Randy White (stonecrestmediava@gmail.com) contributed to this report.
