It snuck up fast, but a new Phillies season is just around the corner.

Some faces changed, but much of the core, expectations, and questions remained the same, with whether this team can win a World Series at the root of all of it.

So can they get there? Can they win it? Will Bryce Harper still prove elite? How many homers will Kyle Schwarber hit this summer?

The PV sports staff makes its predictions for all those topics and more below...

Are they a postseason team?

Adam Aaronson: Yes, because good starting pitching is such an immense floor-raiser, and even without Zack Wheeler for at least a few weeks and Ranger Suárez in Boston, this team has so much quality starting pitching. The depth of the lineup remains questionable, but it has an excellent trio of bats at the top. That, plus a bullpen better than any the Phillies have built during this era, should be enough to make this a postseason team.

Evan Macy: Six teams make it from the National League and this team is in the top 6 on its worst day. Whether they'll be better than the Mets is anyone's guess. It might be a tight division for the first time in a while.

Geoff Mosher: It would take something very unforeseen – massive injuries, more PED suspensions, a very down season for any of the top three hitters – for the Phillies to miss the postseason. The Braves are already dealing with pitching staff injuries, and one of them isn't Chris Sale. The Mets are improved, and they're the best non-Phillies bet to win the division. So maybe the NL pennant streak comes to an end, but this Phillies team should still win 85-plus on starting pitching alone. They'll be in the playoffs. 

Nick Tricome: Yes, and I think they'll be the NL East champions for a third consecutive year. Their lineup has kind of been left at a standstill while it only gets older, but I still think it has enough power to thump its way through the regular season, while the starting rotation will be dominant enough and the bullpen serviceable enough to get them to at least 95 wins. It's not getting there that's the problem anymore.

Are they a World Series team?

Adam: It would be foolish to say this team cannot get to the World Series. As the Phillies have seen in an exciting way in 2022 and a devastating way in 2023, any team that gets itself into the field can get itself to a World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers will, of course, be the heavy favorites to win their third straight pennant. It is hard to justify anyone being a safer bet to challenge them than the Phillies.

Geoff: Can they get there? Sure. Will they? Probably not, unless ... they make really impactful moves at the trade deadline. That's the only way I could see them being good enough to get over the hump.

Evan: If they have their 1-through-5 rotation healthy in October it is. I am not entirely convinced this team, one of the oldest in the majors can stay as healthy as they did last year — they were almost historically healthy. And I don't think there is much depth to withstand serious injuries to key contributors. But if it's intact when the weather gets cool again this team is a serious threat.

Nick: No. I trust Cristopher Sánchez to be good in October, and I trust Jesús Luzardo to be good in October, but not much else past them. This lineup is still heavily boom-or-bust to me, as it's been and stopping them short because of it for the past several years now, and the bullpen looks better on paper, sure, but I feel like it's a fool's errand at this point to place to much faith in a Phillies reliever.

I just don't think they can dependably play small ball and produce runs when they'll truly need to with the way they're constructed, or get a hold in a high-pressure situation if they're stuck up against the Dodgers again – or even the Mets, Cubs, Padres, or Brewers.

They've folded in those scenarios too many times now.

Will Bryce Harper return to the 'elite' conversation?

Adam: No, and the fact that his MVP-caliber days are probably behind him should not be a death knell for the Phillies or their lineup, particularly given Kyle Schwarber's incredible early-30s breakout. Harper may consistently be on the fringes of MVP ballots rather than being atop them, but if he remains one of the better hitters in the National League, the Phillies should be pleased, whether it warrants an "elite" tag or not.

Geoff: He's going to have one of those seasons where, at the end of the year, the numbers are going to look pretty good – .288/.366/.501 with 28 homers and 85 RBI – despite some hot and cold streaks, but when compared to Ohtani, Soto, Schwarber and Corbin Carroll, won't be perceived as truly "elite."

Evan: I was on the fence and then he did this:

Nick: He will be fine. He'll hit in the .270 range with maybe 30 home runs, but it won't be elite, "this guy is the MVP!" kind of stuff. Maybe All-Star stuff, but not MVP, best in baseball stuff. Granted, I think that's OK. That's still pretty serviceable production pressing into his mid-30s.

Look, Dave Dombrowski's open pondering of whether Harper could ever be elite again last all, at the least, annoyed him, and there's plenty to argue over whether that was the right avenue for Dombrowski to express that, and if he should've ever publicly expressed that. However, now that the thought is out there, I don't think it's a misplaced one at all. I think age is starting to catch up to Harper a bit.

Will Cristopher Sánchez be in the NL Cy Young discussion?

Adam: Yes, and that will continue to be the case beyond 2026. Sánchez's 2025 season was appreciated in real time, but it probably was not quite grasped around these parts just how dominant he has become. In most years, Sánchez would have won the Cy Young rather easily with a campaign which was unquestionably elite. Unfortunately, he bumped into Paul Skenes. Sánchez's devastating sinker/changeup combination makes him an absolute treat to watch take the ball, and he has proven to be incredibly durable so far. Sánchez's rise from near-castoff to superstar and future (present?) ace is among the best stories in recent Phillies history.

Geoff: Without a doubt. The question is, is he a big enough "name" to actually win it. When you're battling against Paul Skenes, Yoshiunobu Yamamoto, and even Zack Wheeler, it's tough to get those popularity votes. But there's no question he will be in the conversation. He's that good.

Evan: I need to see it to believe it. Sánchez had 5.2 career WAR combined entering 2026. His WAR last year was 8.0. His ERA before 2026 was 3.70, and last year it was 2.50. All too often we've seen pitchers put it together once, in epic fashion, and never again. He has the talent to be a perennial Cy Young finalist. He just needs more track record for me to assume he'll do it again.

Nick: Yes. That sinker keeps reaching new levels of filthy year over year, while Sánchez has continually kept reaching new heights. I don't just think he'll be in the Cy Young conversation this time, I think he'll be leading it now that he has his status as a No. 1 in the rotation, and with enough eyes knowing now to pay attention to him.

Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images

Cristopher Sánchez has kept reaching new levels with the past few seasons.

What will Zack Wheeler be when he comes back?

Adam: Among the best starting pitchers in the National League, eventually, but the Phillies should be very careful with Wheeler's workload right off the bat. The fact that Sánchez has emerged as an undisputed ace and Jesús Luzardo pitched like one for multiple prolonged stretches last season should give the Phillies some confidence that Wheeler's return to dominance can be a gradual process. All that matters is that he is something resembling the Wheeler of old by October.

Geoff: A really good pitcher who's not far off from who he was before the surgery, and by season's end, a dominant starter who will either be the first or second starter for the Phils in the playoffs. Book it. 

Evan: I am not a doctor — but a doctor would be the one to answer this. And when we asked one he seemed confident Wheeler would be the same. So... yes, he should be. And he might be the key to the Phillies' World Series run if he is.

Nick: Decent. It's probably going to take time for his velocity to come back, if it isn't a bit diminished, and I wonder once he is cleared, how deep he would be able to pitch into games. If he can give you a five-inning start as a 3rd or fourth starter, I think that's a win. I don't think it's fair to expect the Cy Young-caliber flamethrower anymore.

What about Aaron Nola?

Adam: Somewhere between where he was at his peak and where he was during a disastrous 2025 season feels like the obvious answer here. The real question: which form will he be closer to? There are many real reasons for concern surrounding Nola, but the guess here is that he has at least a couple more seasons left as a quality major-league starter capable of eating up innings in bulk. The guess here is that he will clearly be a quality middle-of-the-rotation starter in the Phillies' stellar rotation.

Geoff: Seeing his knuckle-curve corkscrew hitters at the WBC has me believing he will surely bounce back from last year's injury-marred season and be one of the better No. 4 starters in the league – and perhaps a much-needed effective bullpen weapon for the postseason the way the Dodgers used their starters to get playoff outs.   

Evan: I think ultimately he'll revert to his career average performance level, which is top half of the rotation starter but not elite. He'll be one of the best No. 4's in the majors (behind Sánchez, Wheeler and Luzardo).

Nick: Volatile. His run with Italy at the World Baseball Classic showed that he has his regular velocity and command back, but even so, Aaron Nola through a whole season has always come out to 1-2 good starts, then a blow up, then streaks of 'Hey, he's looking good to start, but the second time through the order's coming up,' and just not knowing whether he's going to hold up through that. 

So, I think he's going to be back to being Aaron Nola, for good and bad.

How many home runs will Kyle Schwarber hit?

Adam: In his four years with the Phillies, Schwarber has hit 46, 47, 38 and 56 home runs. Let's go with 45 this time around.

Geoff: Thirteen. Just kidding. That'll be his June total. I'll go with 41.

Evan: I think he gets to 50. The great thing about Schwarber being a career DH is he's going to be able to be laser focused on hitting and able to stay healthy.

Nick: 48. Still plenty of power, just not as crazy as it was last year.

Eric Hartline/Imagn Images

Kyle Schwarber's 56 home runs last season came close to matching Ryan Howard's 2006 MVP year for the Phillies' single-season home run record.

Will Justin Crawford be the Phillies' starting center fielder at the All-Star break?

Adam: Yes. The Phillies seem incredibly committed to Crawford, and it makes some sense: he has done all a player can do at the minor-league level. Barring injury, the only way Crawford is not still with the Phillies' major-league club by July is if he is so brutal at the plate that the team has to send him back down to Triple-A to reset and recalibrate his swing. While Crawford will be a far cry from the dominant hitter he was in the minors when he reaches the bigs, he should get his bat on the ball and swipe enough bags out of the No. 9 hole that the Phillies will be able to justify sticking with him.

Geoff: Yeah, for lack of better options he will. I'm not sure he'll be the starting center fielder after the trade deadline – especially if Byron Buxton is on the block – but the Phillies won't pull the plug on him unless he's under the Mendoza line for a good few months.

Evan: I think he'll be great defensively and will be streaky, like he is this spring. But he's a first-round pick the Phillies really need to succeed, so I believe he'll have a lot of leash. 

Nick: Yes. He'll be good in the field, and he'll be underwhelming at the plate, but the Phillies will be too committed to making him work out there. 

Who will be the Phillies' 2026 All-Stars?

Adam: Sánchez, Luzardo, Jhoan Duran, Harper and Schwarber.

Geoff: Sánchez, Duran, Schwarber, Harper. 

Evan: Sánchez, Duran, Harper, and then I am going sleeper big Bryson Stott first half. And I think Schwarber will be in the Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park. Maybe Harper, too, but two from one team is rare.

Nick: Sánchez, Luzardo, and then Schwarber and Trea Turner as reserves if they have good first halves at the plate. 

Who is a Phillie to be excited about, and a Phillie to be concerned about?

Adam: Can the answer for both of these be Crawford? His rookie season is going to be an absolutely fascinating test study in several respects. What happens when a player dominates every level of the minors he goes to despite being one of the youngest players in each league, but then joins the major leagues at 22 years old? In the day and age of three true outcomes, can a player really become a star with bat-to-ball skills and base-stealing prowess? Crawford is an elite athlete but has been a shaky defender in the minors; how quickly can his reads and routes be on pace with his athletic ability? And, of course, the ground balls: how high of a ground ball rate can Crawford possibly run while even being a slightly useful offensive player?

Geoff: I shouldn't do this. I told myself I wouldn't. But I can't help myself. Have you seen how good Bryson Stott's spring has been? If there was an MVP for the Grapefruit League, he'd be in the conversation. So I'm just gonna go ahead and drink this Kool-Aid about the adjustment Stott made last year in his hitting approach and believe he'll look more like the 2023 version. My biggest concern is the bullpen, specifically with Orion Kerkering's ability to bounce back from last year's disaster against the Dodgers and with José Alvarado's ability to still be a dominant lefty in Year 10.   

Evan: I'm excited for how deep the pitching staff is. It could be an all-time staff, one through five. I am worried about the outfield. I am not a big fan of Otto Kemp, whom the team is putting a lot of trust in, to platoon with Brandon Marsh, who is struggling mightily this spring and also can't hit lefties. I am not sold on Adolis García being worthy of everyday time in right, he's never been an on base guy and needs to flash a ton of power to make up for it. Crawford is going to give you very little as he grows into the role. This team is going to be paying in prospects for an outfield upgrade again at the trade deadline. 

Nick: On the roster, I want to see how far Sánchez can go as a full-time No. 1 ace. In the pipeline, I want to see what Gage Wood becomes and whether he'll be kept as a starter, or maybe take a short-term detour as a reliever to get him to the majors faster with all the velocity he has. 

As far as concern, this season might be tough for Andrew Painter. I think he's still going to be a fixture of the rotation for the long haul, but he's still young and he's going to learn how to pitch to major leaguers on the fly here, and that's a tall order with only few exceptions who never had a problem with it. Just be ready for growing pains.

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