When the Philadelphia Phillies stepped into the offseason, they had a clear mission: bolster their pitching arsenal. It might've raised a few eyebrows, considering the mound talent they already had.
Zack Wheeler's stellar 2024 campaign, which saw him narrowly miss out on the National League Cy Young Award, was the talk of the town. And let's not forget, he shared the All-Star spotlight with Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez.
Meanwhile, Aaron Nola, the team's dependable No. 2 starter, is a paragon of reliability, never missing the chance to snag the ball when his turn comes.
The real chink in the Phillies' armor was the No. 5 starter position, where Taijuan Walker faced some bumps along the road. The solution?
Swinging a deal with the Miami Marlins for the electrifying Jesus Luzardo. A No. 5 with the kind of potential Luzardo brings is as rare as a unicorn in the MLB.
Add Walker's depth to the mix and the anticipated debut of the promising Andrew Painter, and what you've got is a Phillies rotation that promises firepower every time they hit the field.
That's where Tristan Cockcroft from ESPN comes in with a prediction that's bold enough to make your head spin: 2025 could be the year of the Phillies' pitchers etching their names in history. While there have been instances of pitcher duos nabbing the top two Cy Young Award spots, no team has ever laid claim to the top three.
Until now, according to Cockcroft, who envisions Wheeler leading the charge, Sanchez coming in second, and Nola rounding out the trio. But don’t sleep on Luzardo—if he stays healthy, he's poised to grab some of the limelight, too.
Of course, putting a historical milestone in the "bold prediction" column assures it's a red-hot take. With talent as rich as Philly's, they're certainly in the mix for major accolades.
However, it won’t be a walk in the park. The league is bustling with star hurlers ready to challenge for that prestigious hardware, such as the Pirates' Paul Skenes, the Giants' Logan Webb, and basically the entire roster of the Dodgers' pitching factory.
According to Cockcroft, health will be the definitive factor, and he believes the Phillies' squad might just have the edge over the Los Angeles contingent on that front.
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