One of the current weaknesses of the 2026 Philadelphia Phillies is the club’s lack of depth in its starting rotation.
Despite having an elite starting five, there is a drastic drop-off in capable big-league arms behind them. Should the Phillies suffer injuries this upcoming season, they will have a difficult time replacing those innings.
In Spring Training, it will be very important for the team to identify capable backups who can spend time in Triple-A. One of those options will be Bryse Wilson, a player who received a non-roster invitation to join big league camp.
Wilson has spent part of eight major league seasons with various clubs. He started his big league career in Atlanta with the Braves before jumping between the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox.
Last season, Wilson appeared in 20 games for Chicago. He pitched to a 6.65 earned run average in 47.1 innings pitched. The right-hander started five of those appearances, where he fared slightly better than in the bullpen.
Wilson’s best stretch of games was between 2024 and 2025. In 87 games with the Brewers, he tossed 181.1 innings with a 3.42 earned run average. He only started nine games, primarily being featured as a low-leverage reliever.
With Cristopher Sanchez, Aaron Nola and Taijuan Walker all pitching in the World Baseball Classic, I would expect the Phillies to try out Wilson in a starting capacity.
If pitching coach Caleb Cotham can restore the veteran right-hander to the Milwaukee version of himself, the Phillies might be able to use Wilson in a pinch.
I would equate him to a Nick Nelson or Joe Ross type that we have seen in recent seasons. His primary role will be to eat innings before the bullpen can take on the rest of the ballgame. Great teams need players such as Wilson if they are to make it through a long season.
I believe that Bryse Wilson will be an interesting player to watch as Spring Training unfolds in just a few days.
