Pitchers and catchers report this week in Clearwater. As the offseason ends and the preseason begins, there lies one potential hole in the Phillies’ starting pitcher core.
Following the departure of Ranger Suárez via free agency, the Philadelphia Phillies have not made any new additions to their stable of starters. Sure, young gun Andrew Painter will join the fray in 2026, but there is not much depth beyond the 22-year-old.
As currently constructed, the Phillies’ starting rotation consists of a pair of veterans coming off injuries in Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, a swing man in Taijuan Walker, two reliably healthy arms in Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo and Painter. Should any one of these pitchers go down, especially before the full recovery of Wheeler is complete, the Phillies will need to get creative with their fifth starter slot.
Taijuan Walker served as the main swingman in 2025 and was quite successful. Behind him, however, were other pitchers that could step up when called upon. Mick Abel, Walker Buehler, and Joe Ross combined to make nine starts for the Phillies and are no longer with the organization.
Prospects like Jean Cabrera and journeyman Bryse Wilson offer innings on paper, but neither inspires much confidence entering Spring Training for a team with World Series aspirations. That gap between “can start” and “should start” is where the concern lies.
What the Phillies could use is one or two additional options. There are still several veteran starting pitchers who have yet to sign with a team. Buehler is a familiar name, but there are others. Jose Quintana and Chris Bassitt are still available, as are Justin Verlander, Miles Mikolas, and Nestor Cortes, to name a few. If the Phillies can sign any of them, either as an added starter or on a “prove-it” contract, it could be a mutually beneficial partnership.
The Phillies continue to possess one of the best top-five rotations in baseball, but the depth remains a concern. As pitchers and catchers report on Wednesday, it is fair to wonder whether one more experienced arm could prevent a thin situation from becoming a pressing one.
Congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks on their Super Bowl victory. Baseball season has arrived.
