March 16, 2026
Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images
Will Justin Crawford take the job in center and never look back this season?
The Phillies have increased their win total every season since the 2020-shortened pandemic campaign, and since 2022 they've fared worse and worse in the postseason.
With most of the team back intact for 2026, the Phillies are talented and experienced, but also older and prone to making the same expected mistakes that seem to undo them every October. The clock is ticking on this aging roster.
There is potential for a World Series run for several reasons, starting with the juggernaut their starting rotation can be if it stays healthy. But there are also some serious reasons for worrying.
Is this finally the year they consummate their long march toward a well-earned championship? Or the beginning of this era's decline?
The Phillies entered spring training with some questions in their rotation. Many of them have been answered. Andrew Painter looks like a guarantee to seize the fifth starter role as a rookie. Aaron Nola is dazzling as the ace of Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic and appears ready to bounce back from his worst season as a pro.
Zack Wheeler, 35, is the remaining cause for concern. All the latest signs are positive, and the hurler threw a bullpen session against live hitters over the weekend for the first time since he was shut down in 2025 after the team discovered a blood clot. He had Thoracic Outlet Surgery and the Phillies are hoping he is ready to begin the regular six-week ramp up period starting pitchers typically need — giving him a potential debut in the second week of April.
With a loaded rotation that already boasts the aforementioned Painter and Nola with Cris Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo as well, Wheeler resembling his regular self could be the difference for this team, which lacks upgrades on offense after a quiet offseason.
If you look at the roster, the Phillies are a little top heavy. They have three of the best hitters in baseball — and then there's a drop off. Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper will bat in the first third of the batting order most of the year. The problem is, who is going to protect them?
Many fans were clamoring for one more big bat this offseason, and the team tried to get Bo Bichette to play that role but were outbid by the rival Mets. Here are the candidates to bat cleanup this season:
• Alec Bohm, whose career slugging percentage is a mundane .415.
• J.T. Realmuto, who is (about to be) 35 and hasn't hit 80 or more RBI since 2022.
• Adolis García, who hit .227 last season, and .224 the year prior.
• Brandon Marsh, who can't hit lefties.
• Bryson Stott, who profiles more as a leadoff or back of the order contact hitter.
Do they have enough in the middle of the batting order to put up runs?
Some thoughts on the Phillies likely bullpen arms:
• Brad Keller is supposed to be the setup righty for closer Jhoan Duran, but is it possible the Phillies overpaid for Keller at $22 million over two years? He's struggled in the WBC for Team USA, and he's only posted a sub 4-ERA for a season once since 2020.
• Jonathan Bowlan, acquired for Matt Strahm from the Royals in a trade, has pitched just 50 MLB innings and has a mediocre 1.360 WHIP in that span.
• Rule 5 pick Zach McCambley has never pitched in the majors, though he's had a solid spring training.
• José Alvarado has looked sharp in March, but he's coming off a suspension and injury-plagued 2025.
• Kyle Backhus is a lefty reliever the Phillies really like — he's inexperienced, too, with just 25.1 career MLB innings and a 4.62 ERA.
There is a lot of depth, to be sure. But is there enough proven talent?
On Opening Day, facing Rangers starter Nate Eovaldi, the outfield will consist of Brandon Marsh in left, rookie Justin Crawford in center and García in right.
It's not easy to quantify how bad the outfield might be — we did outline the long and embarrassing history the Phillies have had in recent years with outfielders — but fantasy baseball rankings is a good tool to see how statistically they are expected to perform.
Out of 30 MLB teams and 90 starting outfielders, García is the top ranked outfielder on the team at 56th (via fantasypro's combined rankings). Justin Crawford is 76th, Brandon Marsh is 83rd. No one is even close to the top 30. That's an average rank of 72nd. For some contrast, the Dodgers top three outfielders average 46th, the Mets 40th and the Yankees 27th.
It's hard not to predict outfield being an area of need at the trade deadline this coming summer.
After winning the World Series (in part, thanks to handling a feisty Phillies team in the NLDS), the Dodgers decided to add to their MLB record-setting payroll. They added star outfielder Kyle Tucker and closer Edwin Diaz.
The Mets collapsed embarrassingly last fall, and decided to do everything they can to avoid that again in 2026. Steve Cohen backed up the Brinks truck, replacing departed Pete Alonso with hitters Bichette, Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr. New York also brought in ace Freddy Peralta and big-time reliever Devin Williams.
The Cubs added Alex Bregman, the Diamondbacks added Nolan Arenado and the Braves got Robert Suarez. The NL has gotten better around the static Phillies, who only swapped out some bullpen pitchers and took a gamble on García. Will the Phillies be able to keep up?
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