February 19, 2026
Kate Frese/for PhillyVoice
Cris Sanchez will lead a Phillies rotation with high potential in 2026.
The Phillies are ramping up in spring training with games set to start soon.
Their roster might be close to set, too — and it's not even March yet.
It's hard to recall a spring training with so few spots up for grabs. Yes, some young players — like Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter — still need to earn their spots. But the front office is more or less totally invested in each making their big league debuts next month.
There are also some injury questions, mainly when Zack Wheeler will be ready to return to the mound. But besides that, there doesn't look like much drama will be in Clearwater. You can compare with our initial 26-man projection here (changes are italicized).
Catcher (2): J.T. Realmuto, Rafael Marchán
Philly probably overspent on Realmuto after missing out on Bo Bichette, but he's back behind the plate nonetheless and his value to the pitching staff complements his defense and slightly above-average hitting nicely. Marchán is out of options and should remain the backup with Garrett Stubbs in the minors (should he accept that assignment again).
Infield (6): Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, Edmundo Sosa, Otto Kemp
The starting four is the same as last year. The next man up, Sosa, is also the same as he plays on a contract year. Kemp is a lock to be on the roster but his role is unclear. It's been suggested he might be a platoon partner in left field with Brandon Marsh. But he's played a lot of infield in his career so we'll throw him here for now, opening the door for another fourth infielder.
Outfield (4): Brandon Marsh, Adolis Garcia, Justin Crawford, Johan Rojas
We've written extensively about how bad this outfield is on paper — and how bad the entire organization has been at drafting, developing and acquiring outfielders for decades. Crawford earning and locking down the center field spot will be a huge lift for the franchise. Rojas hit .279 in the minors last year and was close to rejoining the Phils in the postseason after an injury before their early elimination. It's not a confidence-inspiring unit but they should be pretty fast.
Designated hitter (1): Kyle Schwarber
Schwarber might not repeat his 58 homers but he's going to be the heart of the offense again.
Starting pitchers (5): Cris Sánchez, Aaron Nola, Jesús Luzardo, Andrew Painter, Taijuan Walker
Sánchez projects to get the honor of starting on Opening Day after a remarkable Cy Young runner-up campaign in 2025. If Painter makes the rotation, and if Zack Wheeler can return quickly and replace Walker (who would slot in as a long reliever), the Phillies do have the chance to field the best starting five in the majors this season.
Relief pitchers (8): Johan Duran, Orion Kerkering, José Alvarado, Brad Keller, Tanner Banks, Jonathan Bowlan, Zach McCambley, Zack Pop
Just because this is the Opening Day bullpen doesn't mean it will be the bullpen for the majority of the regular season. The first five are pretty set. Bowlan was a trade acquisition and should be a solid bet to make the team.
The final two spots are seemingly up for grabs, but McCambley and Pop will probably have the first right of refusal — they each would be lost to other teams if they don't make the major league roster. McCambley was a Rule 5 draft choice while Pop is out of minor league options. If those two hurlers are half decent in spring training they'll probably have the first look at a bullpen spot. Whether they can hold onto it is the bigger question.
Injured list (1) : Zack Wheeler
Everyone is saying the right things about Wheeler, who is working his way back from surgery last summer, but the Phillies would be smart — at least with a few early days off and Walker able to start — to let Wheeler take his time and start the season later in April or May.
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