The 1996 Philadelphia Phillies season was highlighted by several strong individual performances despite a challenging 67-95 record. Catcher Benito Santiago provided significant power, becoming the first Phillie since 1987 to hit 30 home runs, while Jim Eisenreich maintained an impressive .361 batting average. On the mound, Ricky Bottalico emerged as a premier closer, earning an All-Star selection with 34 saves, and Curt Schilling demonstrated his trademark durability by leading the league in complete games. The team also showed flashes of great potential early in the year, sitting five games over .500 in early May and remaining competitive through the first two months of the campaign.