The Phillies’ 2026 season had its rough spots, but their starting rotation was the one area that looked like a true weapon from top to bottom. Philadelphia could lean on a trio that may have been the best in baseball, then still get meaningful contributions from both a longtime fixture and a prized young arm. When the dust settled, this staff looked every bit like one of the strongest units in the sport.
Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo formed the backbone of that dominance, and each earned an A+.
Wheeler’s season carried an especially emotional charge. At this time last year, there was real uncertainty about whether he would take the mound again after being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, which kept him out of the 2025 postseason.
Instead, the three-time All-Star made a full recovery and was back in the majors before April ended. Once he returned, he was right back in familiar form, throwing 162 innings with a 3.00 ERA and 193 strikeouts.
He has talked about retiring after this coming season, but Phillies fans and staff alike hope he changes his mind.
Sánchez has become the ace of the staff after arriving seven years ago in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. After finishing second in Cy Young Award voting in 2025, the 29-year-old backed it up with another brilliant year.
He led Phillies pitchers with 207 innings, put up a 2.91 ERA, and struck out 231. He also set the all-time record for consecutive scoreless innings by a southpaw with 50 ⅔ straight scoreless frames.
He’s under team control through 2033, which only adds to how valuable this season felt for Philadelphia.
Luzardo completed the left-handed hammering act, and he was every bit as good. The Peruvian-born lefty, who received a $135 million contract extension last offseason, posted a 2.86 ERA with 221 strikeouts over 179.2 innings. Shoulder inflammation sidelined him for a few weeks in September, but he came back for a gutsy Wild Card Series outing and strengthened the case that he belongs in the trio of aces heading into next season.
Behind those three, the story got messier, but there was still a path through it.
Aaron Nola opened the year in a freefall. Through the end of July, the 33-year-old was sitting on a brutal 5.61 ERA across 114 innings, and the calls to move him to the bullpen were getting louder.
The Phillies stuck with him, and he answered with a 2.93 ERA over his final 11 outings. His 4.67 ERA on the season doesn’t look pretty, but after how bleak things got early, there’s at least some reason for optimism going forward.
Andrew Painter followed a similar script, just with a different route to the rebound. The 2021 first-rounder spent more than a month in Triple-A after being demoted, and his first run in the majors was rough, with a 7.06 ERA in 65 innings.
Once he returned at the end of July, though, a revamped changeup changed the picture. He finished with a 3.65 ERA over 61.2 innings in the second half.
The overall 5.40 ERA is ugly, but that finish should leave the Phillies encouraged about 2027.
The depth pieces were less convincing. Alan Rangel got the first shot at replacing Painter when he was demoted in mid-June, and while the 29-year-old rookie can’t be blamed too hard for overextending himself, the results weren’t there. He posted a 5.88 ERA in 26 innings and looks more like roster filler than a real rotation answer.
Then there was Taijuan Walker, whose stint was brief and rough. He appeared in five games before being released before the end of April, and his 9.13 ERA over 22 ⅔ innings summed up just how quickly the Phillies moved on. Dave Dombrowski’s $72 million mistake is finally off the books, and Philadelphia can close the door on that four-year nightmare.
In Other News...
Phillies Bold Infield Idea Could Cost Bryson Stott
The Phillies are already staring at a tricky infield puzzle for 2026, and it starts with the possibility that Alec Bohm and Luis Arraez could be on the way to free agency. If that happens, the front office may have to decide whether to reshuffle the diamond again, including the possibility of Bryce Harper moving back to first base to create a cleaner fit elsewhere. It is the kind of roster planning that can change the entire shape of a lineup before spring even arrives.
One name that keeps surfacing in that conversation is Texas third baseman Josh Jung, a player who could give Philadelphia a more natural long-term answer at the hot corner. But getting him would not be a simple add, because the framework would likely force the Phillies to consider moving Bryson Stott, a decision that would carry real weight for a club trying to keep its infield balanced. Arraez could also factor back into the picture, and the challenge for the Phillies is finding the combination that improves the roster without creating a new hole somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Backup Catcher Battle Just Got More Interesting
Rafael Marchn is giving the Phillies something useful to think about this winter. The 25-year-old catcher has opened the Venezuelan Winter League with a strong start at the plate, hitting .333/.417/.429 through seven games, a welcome sign for a player whose offense has lagged in recent major league seasons. Even so, Philadelphia has not lost sight of what makes him intriguing: his defense remains his calling card, and StatCast metrics still rate him among the better catchers in the game.
The bigger picture is simple enough for spring training. Marchn should get a chance to compete for the backup catcher job, but he is unlikely to be handed anything. The Phillies are also expected to bring in more competition at the position, which means Marchns winter progress could help him make his case, even if the final decision in Clearwater is still months away. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Make An Offensive Change Fans Will Definitely Debate
The Phillies are turning to a familiar name in the coaching world as they look for a spark on offense. Philadelphia is reportedly hiring Peter Fatse as its new hitting coach after parting ways with Kevin Long, a move that signals the club is not waiting around to see if last seasons struggles can be fixed without a fresh voice in the box.
Fatse arrives with some major-league experience after previously serving as the Boston Red Sox hitting coach, though his stint there ended in April 2026. For a Phillies team coming off a disappointing 2026 season, the hire is clearly aimed at getting more out of a lineup that never quite found its rhythm, and it figures to draw plenty of debate as fans weigh what changes should matter most. [Read more 🡒]