Meet the 2026 Phillies: Season predictions, key questions for every player

Say this for the 2026 Phillies: You won’t need a program to know who’s who.

Team officials push back on the popular narrative that they are “running it back” after 95- and 96-win seasons but also divisional-round knockouts in each of the last two years. Rob Thomson points out that he will be managing a rookie center fielder, a new right fielder, a rookie starter, and a remodeled group of relievers.

» READ MORE: John Middleton on Phillies’ high payroll amid looming labor war, Dave Dombrowski-Bryce Harper saga, and more

But it’s also true that they brought back free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto, in addition to slugging DH Kyle Schwarber, to a core that remains intact save for malcontent right fielder Nick Castellanos.

So, you know the names — and most of the faces, too — on an estimated $317 million roster, from Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler to Schwarber and Realmuto to Trea Turner and Aaron Nola. But let’s take a look anyway at the 26 players on the opening-day roster — plus Wheeler and Orion Kerkering, who will begin the season on the injured list — and a question that each will face in 2026.

Position: 3B | Age: 29 | Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Contract status: $10.2 million salary via arbitration; under team control through 2026.

2026 outlook: By now, Bohm knows who he is as a player. Also, who he’s not. “I’m prototypically not your average cleanup hitter,” he said. “Body type-wise, yeah. But the way my game is, I guess, is not that of a typical [No.] 4 hitter.” Nevertheless, he’s set to reprise his cleanup role. It’s a big year for him, too. He’s eligible for free agency after the season, with top prospect Aidan Miller hot on his heels.

» READ MORE: With free agency looming next year, Alec Bohm is prepared to bat cleanup (again) for Kyle Schwarber or Bryce Harper

Key question: Have we seen the best of Bohm?

In 2024, he started at third base in the All-Star Game. Last season, he was barely a league-average hitter. A cracked rib and a cyst in his left shoulder had something to do with that. But a bounceback season would be profitable, both for the Phillies’ run production and Bohm’s earning power.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .282/.332/.431, 16 HRs, 78 RBIs, 109 wRC+, 2.6 WAR.

Position: CF | Age: 22 | Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Contract status: $780,000 salary; under team control through 2031.

2026 outlook: There were times last season when the Phillies considered calling up Crawford. Instead, they left him in triple A, where he won a batting title. There’s no sense in waiting any longer. The keys to center field now belong to the 2022 first-round pick. Crawford is set to be the youngest outfielder in a Phillies opening-day lineup since Greg Luzinski in 1973.

» READ MORE: ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Carl Crawford on son Justin following in his footsteps, how they compare at 22, and more

Key question: Is Crawford ready for this?

It’s difficult for anyone to be more prepared. His father (Carl Crawford), godfather (Junior Spivey), personal hitting coach (Mike Easler), and personal outfield coach (Eric Davis) are all former major leaguers. He hit .300 at every level of the minors despite a high ground ball rate and has track-star speed. Is he ready? It’s time to find out.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .286/.337/.390, 6 HRs, 47 RBIs, 24 SBs, 103 wRC+, 1.7 WAR.

Position: RF | Age: 33 | Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Contract status: One year, $10 million

2026 outlook: Statistically, the new right fielder looks a lot like the old right fielder. Since 2024, García hit 44 homers with a 96 OPS-plus and a 26.4% strikeout rate; Nick Castellanos hit 40 homers with a 96 OPS-plus and a 21.8% strikeout rate. At minimum, though, García is a much better defender in right field. And the Phillies believe a change of scenery and a new hitting coach will lead him back to his All-Star level from 2023.

Key question: Is García really an upgrade over Castellanos?

Maybe not. But keep in mind that the Phillies are paying all but $780,000 of Castellanos’ $20 million salary for him to play in San Diego. Right field is therefore costing them nearly $30 million despite being filled by a player who is making $10 million. If García provides even 1.5 WAR, he will have fulfilled his end of that bargain.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .245/.300/.451, 28 HRs, 95 RBIs, 104 wRC+, 1.9 WAR.

Position: 1B | Age: 33 | Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Contract status: Eighth season of a 13-year, $330 million contract.

2026 outlook: Harper didn’t need anyone, not even Dave Dombrowski, to tell him 2025 wasn’t his best season. He knows he swung at a career-high rate of pitches out of the zone, a problem given that he sees fewer strikes than any hitter in baseball. He also delivered fewer hits in the clutch than usual. And yet he hit 27 homers with a 129 OPS-plus. At age 33, in his 15th major league season, there’s still time for Vintage Harper to make his return.

Key question: Is Harper still elite?

In Dombrowski’s words, “We’ll see what happens.” The last time anyone publicly poked Harper, he stared a hole through Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia after homering twice in Game 3 of the 2023 divisional playoffs. Michael Jordan and Tom Brady derived fuel from even an innocuous slight. If Harper feels he has something to prove, get ready for a monster season.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .274/.363/.490, 29 HRs, 94 RBIs, 133 wRC+, 3.7 WAR.

Position: OF/INF | Age: 26 | Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Contract status: $785,500 salary; under team control through 2031.

2026 outlook: You’re probably familiar with the story, but it doesn’t get old. Undrafted out of a Division II college (Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego), Kemp made his major league debut last June. But the Phillies believe they haven’t seen the best of him. Not after he played through knee and shoulder injuries that necessitated surgery after the season. He likely will get most of his at-bats against lefty pitchers in a left field platoon with Brandon Marsh.

Key question: Can he stick in the majors?

Few players on the roster received more offseason praise from team officials than Kemp, with Dombrowski referring to him as a “championship-type player.” He crushed left-handed pitching in the minors, including a .977 OPS last year in triple A. If Kemp hits, manager Rob Thomson will find at-bats for him in left field, at third base, or elsewhere.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .239/.321/.406, 8 HRs, 36 RBIs, 102 wRC+, 0.4 WAR.

Position: C | Age: 27 | Bats/Throws: Switch/Right

Contract status: $860,000 salary via arbitration; under team control through 2028.

2026 outlook: It isn’t easy being J.T. Realmuto’s backup. Marchán learned that last season. Realmuto started 132 games, which put Marchán on the field for roughly one game per week, and a grand total of 118 plate appearances. One of these years, maybe the Phillies will lighten Realmuto’s workload. Until then, someone will try to stay sharp while filling in the gaps. It’s a challenge.

» READ MORE: J.T. Realmuto ‘never felt like a Plan B’ for Phillies while continuing fight to boost pay scale for catchers

Key question: Can he handle more playing time?

Sure, but how much more? The Phillies have always liked his receiving and throwing. And when Realmuto had knee surgery in 2024, Marchán came up from triple A and batted .294 with an .894 OPS in 17 games. He might never start 100 games, but maybe he could start 60 to 70.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .228/.306/.327, 2 HRs, 15 RBIs, 78 wRC+, 0.5 WAR.

Position: LF | Age: 28 | Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Contract status: $5.2 million salary via arbitration; under control through 2027.

2026 outlook: Don’t look now, but Marsh is the Phillies’ longest-tenured outfielder. His future was in doubt last season after a 4-for-42 start, which included an 0-for-29 April. “Honestly,” he recalled recently, “I’ve never been on a baseball field and felt that low before.” But after May 3, he batted .303 with 25 doubles, 10 homers, and a .358 on-base percentage.

» READ MORE: Brandon Marsh proved he ‘could crawl out’ of last season’s rough start. Now, he’s the Phillies’ longest-tenured outfielder.

Key question: Can he be productive for a full season?

Related question, and stop us if you’ve heard it before: Will Marsh ever hit left-handed pitching? In five major league seasons, Marsh is a .275 hitter with a .797 OPS vs. righties, and .213/.581 against lefties. Maybe he will eventually solve same-side pitching, as Kyle Schwarber did a few years ago. If not, he’s still productive against righties, which puts him in the lineup 70% of the time.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .260/.333/.425, 15 HRs, 62 RBIs, 109 wRC+, 1.6 WAR.

Position: UT | Age: 33 | Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Contract status: One year, $1.85 million

2026 outlook: Moore spent most of the last seven seasons in the majors by virtue of being a strong defender at almost every position on the field, even winning a Gold Glove as a utility man in 2023. He signed a minor-league deal before spring training, then secured a roster spot in camp. His versatility figures to keep him around, but he must also improve on a .206 career average.

» READ MORE: Spring-training games don’t count. But try telling that to Dylan Moore, who is competing for a job with the Phillies

Key question: Will he hit enough to stick around?

Moore cited a desire to work with hitting coach Kevin Long as the biggest reason for wanting to come to spring training with the Phillies. He was among Long’s most willing pupils throughout camp. Now, he gets to put the lessons to use. But the Phillies don’t often use the last player on their bench (ask Kody Clemens, Buddy Kennedy, and Weston Wilson), so at-bats will be scarce.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .220/.315/.425, 4 HRs, 10 RBIs, 104 wRC+, 0.2 WAR.

Position: C | Age: 35 | Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Contract status: First season of a three-year, $45 million contract.

2026 outlook: It’s impossible to imagine another catcher taking charge of the pitching staff. But for a few days in January, with contract talks at an impasse and an offer pending to Bo Bichette, a change behind the plate seemed both imminent and inevitable. In the end, the Phillies and Realmuto found their way back to each other, a move that was universally hailed by pitchers who love throwing to him.

Key question: Can the iron man keep defying age?

With Realmuto’s offense in a three-year decline, his value is tied as much as ever to his volume behind the plate. Last year, he started a career-high 132 games, becoming the sixth catcher in 80 years to reach that threshold at age 34 or older. Only two — Elston Howard in 1964 and Bob Boone from 1983-86 — have gotten to 132 starts at age 35 or older. With Realmuto, always bet the over.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .257/.319/.423, 15 HRs, 58 RBIs, 104 wRC+, 2.8 WAR.

Position: DH | Age: 33 | Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Contract status: First season of a five-year, $150 million contact.

2026 outlook: Look who’s back. Wait, did you really think he was going anywhere else? Schwarber won a World Series with the Cubs in 2016 but became a star with the Phillies over the last four years and returned on a record contract for a full-time DH (non-Shohei Ohtani division). As ever, he plays an invaluable role on the team with his short, powerful left-handed swing and his voice and presence in the clubhouse.

Key question: What does he do for an encore?

Schwarber had a walk year for the ages. With free agency on the horizon, he hit a career-high 56 homers, decided the All-Star Game by going 3-for-3 in the first-ever home-run swing-off, and set a major league record with 23 lefty-on-lefty homers. So, now what? For one thing, he will continue marching toward 500 homers. He has 340 — and a new, five-year runway with the Phillies.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .223/.342/.493, 44 HRs, 112 RBIs, 129 wRC+, 2.9 WAR.

Position: INF | Age: 30 | Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Contract status: $4.4 million salary via arbitration; under team control through 2026.

2026 outlook: Sosa views his role with the Phillies through the prism of another sport. “There’s a sixth man in the NBA,” he said last season through a team interpreter. “So why can’t I assume that role here?” It’s exactly what he does. And when he plays, the veteran super sub tends to bring energy to the lineup.

» READ MORE: Phillies’ ‘10th man’ Edmundo Sosa does whatever it takes to get in the lineup. It’s been that way since he was 15.

Key question: Should the Phillies platoon at second base?

Maybe. It will depend on whether Bryson Stott figures out left-handed pitching. Regardless, Sosa should be in the lineup when the Phillies face a lefty starter. He had an .895 OPS against lefties last season, 25th among 179 major league hitters who got at least 100 plate appearances vs. lefties. There’s value in that production.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .256/.301/.427, 8 HRs, 31 RBIs, 100 wRC+, 1.1 WAR.

Position: 2B | Age: 28 | Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Contract status: $5.9 million salary via arbitration; under team control through 2027.

2026 outlook: Rock bottom for Stott last season came on July 22, when he was batting .228 with a .656 OPS. From then on, he batted .307 with an .885 OPS. What changed? He lowered his hands, moved closer to the plate, and began striding with his legs and hips. The adjustments enabled him to make contact sooner and drive the ball better. Now, it’s about not reverting to old habits.

» READ MORE: Dreaming of a baseball Dream Team: What the USA roster might look like for the 2028 L.A. Olympics

Key question: Is this finally Stott’s breakout season?

In 2023, Stott appeared to be on the verge of taking on a starring role. Instead, he has remained a supporting actor. He’s a Gold Glove-level defender at second base but hasn’t made consistent advancements as a hitter. If it’s going to happen, now is the time, especially with free agency looming after the 2027 season.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .259/.326/.386, 13 HRs, 68 RBIs, 25 SBs, 98 wRC+, 3.0 WAR.

Position: SS | Age: 32 | Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Contract status: Fourth season of an 11-year, $300 million contract.

2026 outlook: Before last season, the Phillies asked Turner to focus on getting on base and using his athleticism as a leadoff hitter. He bought in. Not coincidentally, he had his best season since 2021, winning the NL batting title and finishing fifth in MVP voting. The mandate for this season: Don’t change a thing. He runs as fast now as he did in 2015 and is the dynamic table-setter for Harper and Schwarber.

» READ MORE: Inside Trea Turner’s remarkable improvement at shortstop that turned him back into an MVP candidate

Key question: Can he continue his glove story?

The most notable aspect of Turner’s 2025 season came on defense. Based on fielding run value, Statcast’s metric for overall defensive value, Turner ranked fourth among shortstops at 11 runs above average. In 2024, he was three runs below average. And now, rather than keeping Aidan Miller at shortstop, the Phillies want to get the top prospect reps at third base.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: .285/.337/.443, 19 HRs, 78 RBIs, 28 SBs, 115 wRC+, 4.6 WAR.

Position: Reliever | Age: 30 | Throws: Left

Contract status: $9 million club option; under team control through 2026.

2026 outlook: Alvarado pitched only 26 innings last season, and comes in with a lot to prove. He was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, and after briefly rejoining the team he was shut down for good with a left forearm strain. Even if he had been healthy, Alvarado would have been ineligible for the postseason, according to the terms of his suspension. He returns to a bullpen now led by Jhoan Duran, where Alvarado figures to be one of his setup options.

» READ MORE: José Alvarado says ‘last year is over’ after PED suspension. Could the Phillies reliever throw more four-seamers in 2026?

Key question: Which version of Alvarado will the Phillies get?

The Phillies picked up Alvarado’s $9 million club option for this season because they’re betting on a return to form. Alvarado, for his part, is looking ahead. “I want to say last year is over,” Alvarado said recently. “I prepare for coming in healthy this spring.”

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 64 IP, 3.35 ERA, 3 SVs, 12 holds, 76 K, 27 BB, 1.3 WAR.

Position: Reliever | Age: 28 | Throws: Left

Contract status: $785,000 salary; under team control through 2031.

2026 outlook: The Phillies acquired Backhus from the Diamondbacks over the offseason in exchange for outfield prospect Avery Owusu-Asiedu. From the beginning of camp, he has turned heads with his unusual sidearm delivery that can be deceptive to left-handed hitters. Backhus throws the ball at an arm angle of 9 degrees, which is a completely different look from the other lefties in the Phillies’ bullpen. Alvarado’s arm angle in 2025 was 59 degrees, while Banks’ was 48 degrees.

Key question: Can Backhus become serviceable against righties?

In 2025, Backhus held left-handed hitters to a .139 batting average. But righties crushed him for a .365 average and .988 OPS. It’s an exploitable weakness, especially in the era of the three-batter minimum rule. He is working on his changeup as another tool to help neutralize right-handers.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 52 IP, 4.50 ERA, 7 holds, 53 K, 21 BB, 0.0 WAR.

Position: Reliever | Age: 34 | Throws: Left

Contract status: $1.2 million salary via arbitration; under control through 2028.

2026 outlook: Banks is coming off a career season, with a 3.07 ERA and 1.010 WHIP over 67⅓ innings. A lefty specialist who holds left-handers to a .175 batting average, he even earned some high-leverage opportunities in 2025.

Key question: Can he repeat it?

After Matt Strahm was traded to the Royals in the offseason, Banks has become a more important left-handed option in the bullpen. Can he sustain his 2025 performance as a trusted middle-innings option?

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 62 IP, 3.92 ERA, 12 holds, 57 K, 16 BB, 0.4 WAR.

Position: Reliever | Age: 29 | Throws: Right

Contract status: $785,000 salary; under team control through 2031.

2026 outlook: The Phillies sent veteran lefty Matt Strahm to Kansas City in exchange for Bowlan in December. The 6-foot-6 right-hander has less than a year of MLB service time, and posted a 3.86 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 44⅓ innings with the Royals last season. He is out of options, and will likely be a multi-inning reliever for the Phillies.

Key question: Can he take a step forward against left-handers?

Bowlan has been working on his changeup this spring as a weapon against lefties, who hit .288 against him in 2025.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 56 IP, 4.48 ERA, 10 holds, 54 K, 20 BB, 0.0 WAR.

Position: Closer | Age: 28 | Throws: Right

Contract status: $7.5 million salary via arbitration; under team control through 2027.

2026 outlook: The Phillies’ closer showed up to camp with a new trick up his sleeve: a splitter, to add to an already devastating arsenal of triple-digit fastball, “splinker,” sweeper, and curveball. Duran converted 32 of 37 save opportunities in 2025 between the Minnesota Twins and Phillies.

» READ MORE: The Phillies finally have a ‘true closer’ in Jhoan Duran, and that solidifies the rest of the bullpen

Key question: Can he anchor a championship bullpen?

Duran had postseason experience before arriving in Philadelphia, helping the Twins to their first playoff victory since 2004 in the 2023 wild-card series. But the Phillies have loftier goals than winning just one playoff series, and Duran will lead a relief corps that enters the season with sky-high expectations.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 70 IP, 2.56 ERA, 29 saves, 85 K, 21 BB, 2.4 WAR.

Position: Reliever | Age: 30 | Throws: Right

Contract status: First season of two-year, $22 million contract.

2026 outlook: A move to the Cubs bullpen last year proved career-changing for Keller, leading to an uptick of over 3 mph on his fastball and an offseason payday with the Phillies. Keller still has a starter’s arsenal with five pitches: four-seam, slider, sweeper, sinker, and changeup. He is expected to be a key leverage arm from the right side.

Key question: Can he keep it up?

When they signed him to a two-year deal this winter, the Phillies were confident that they were getting the 97-mph Keller, rather than the 94-mph version he’d been as a starter. That’s what he showed all spring, even reaching 98.4 mph while pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic championship game. Will it help him pull off a repeat performance of his sparkling 2.07 ERA and 0.962 WHIP in 2025?

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 68 IP, 4.43 ERA, 2 SVs, 16 holds, 62 K, 28 BB, 0.0 WAR.

Position: Reliever | Age: 24 | Throws: Right

Contract status: $805,500 salary; under control through 2029.

2026 outlook: When Kerkering’s throw sailed over J.T. Realmuto’s head, sending the Dodgers to the National League Championship Series, it was fair to wonder if that had been the end of his time in Philadelphia. Mitch Williams never threw another pitch for the Phillies after that infamous fastball to Joe Carter, after all. But it’s more than six months later and Kerkering is still here, although he is opening the season on the injured list after a hamstring strain delayed his spring. He spent the winter tinkering with a splitter to add a swing-and-miss pitch to his arsenal, and he figures to join Keller as one of the top righties in the bullpen behind Duran.

» READ MORE: Orion Kerkering faced his NLDS error head-on, and with a little humor: ‘I’m not going to let it define me’

Key question: Can Kerkering improve with inherited runners?

Of the 32 runners Kerkering inherited last season, 14 came around to score. Those numbers don’t count toward his 3.30 season ERA, but it’s a trend that needs to be reversed if he is to be trusted in higher-leverage situations.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 63 IP, 3.47 ERA, 1 SV, 13 holds, 71 K, 22 BB, 0.8 WAR.

Position: Starter | Age: 28 | Throws: Left

Contract status: $11 million salary via arbitration; five-year, $135 million contract extension begins in 2027, under control through 2032

2026 outlook: If you remove two historically bad starts for Luzardo last May and June when he allowed 20 total runs in 5⅔ innings, his season ERA would have been 3.03 over 178 innings. Even with those two blips included, he still put together a spectacular first season as a Phillie, one that earned him a five-year extension this spring. The Phillies expect Luzardo, along with fellow lefty Cristopher Sánchez, to lead the rotation for years to come.

» READ MORE: Teammates say Jesús Luzardo brings them together. That’s just what they did to celebrate his new extension.

Key question: What’s the next level?

Luzardo added a sweeper to his arsenal during his first Phillies camp, and it quickly became one of his top weapons. This year, when searching for the next way to improve, he decided to tweak his changeup. “If you tell me he’s going to win a Cy Young, I wouldn’t be shocked,” J.T. Realmuto said of Luzardo recently. “He’s got that type of stuff and that type of work ethic.”

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 176 IP, 3.99 ERA, 197 K, 54 BB, 3.5 WAR.

Position: Reliever | Age: 34 | Throws: Left

Contract status: One year, $1.75 million.

2026 outlook: Mayza, an Allentown native and Millersville alum, is back on his childhood club in 2026. The Phillies picked up the veteran reliever last August after the Pirates designated him for assignment, and he posted a 4.91 ERA over eight appearances. The Phillies opted to carry four lefties in their opening-day bullpen — Alvarado, Banks, Backhus, and Mayza, who figures to be a low-leverage innings eater.

Key question: Can Mayza improve against righties?

Right-handers have a career OPS of .823 against Mayza, compared to lefties’ .570.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 31 IP, 4.10 ERA, 27 K, 10 BB, 0.0 WAR

Position: Starter | Age: 32 | Throws: Right

Contract status: Third season of a seven-year, $172 million contract.

2026 outlook: Nola’s 2025 season was, in a word, uncharacteristic. Known for his durability, Nola spent three months on the injured list, first with an ankle sprain and then a rib injury. Even when he was healthy, Nola’s fastball velocity went from 92.1 mph in 2024 to 91.4 mph in 2025 as he put up a 6.01 ERA. But there’s reason for optimism ahead of this year: An offseason program that included long toss has Nola feeling as strong as ever, and he dazzled for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

» READ MORE: Aaron Nola got a gauge of his training with a ‘master-class’ start for Italy. Will it lead to a bounceback season?

Key question: Can he eliminate the big inning?

A one-inning blowup has often been Nola’s kryptonite. Can he find a way to limit those and scale back the homers? Nola allowed a career-high 1.72 home runs per nine innings in 2025.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 179 IP, 4.25 ERA, 180 K, 44 BB, 3.2 WAR.

Position: Starter | Age: 22 | Throws: Right

Contract status: $780,000 salary; under team control through 2031.

2026 outlook: He’s finally here. After three years of waiting and changing timelines, Painter will take the ball at Citizens Bank Park for the first time and make his major league debut on March 31. The right-hander will slot into the fifth spot in the rotation. Painter had a crash course in overcoming adversity last season in triple-A Lehigh Valley, when his fastball command was inconsistent in his first season back after Tommy John elbow surgery. Typically, that is the last thing that returns to pitchers after undergoing that rehab process.

» READ MORE: A leaner Andrew Painter is moving better than ever. One reason is ‘fewer trips to the Dairy Queen’

Key question: Can he meet the expectations?

Painter has remained untouchable in trade talks over the last few years, as the Phillies viewed him as a crucial piece of their future. That future has now arrived, and all eyes will finally be on the Phillies’ prized prospect on the biggest stage. Will he prove them right?

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 94 IP, 4.80 ERA, 92 K, 38 BB, 0.7 WAR.

Position: Reliever | Age: 29 | Throws: Right

Contract status: $900,000 salary via arbitration; under control through 2028.

2026 outlook: Pop had a solid spring, and the Phillies liked his strike-throwing ability and fastball velocity, which got up to 98 mph. The reliever has bounced between the majors and minors throughout his career and will be a low-leverage right-handed option.

» READ MORE: Q&A: John Middleton on Phillies’ high payroll amid looming labor war, Dave Dombrowski-Bryce Harper saga, and more

Key question: Can he stick around?

Pop struggled in limited major league action last season, allowing 11 earned runs in 6⅔ innings. He did have a solid walk rate of 5.1% and induced a lot of ground balls at a 54.5% rate.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 24 IP, 5.14 ERA, 18 K, 8 BB, 0.0 WAR.

Position: Starter | Age: 29 | Throws: Left

Contract status: $3.5 million in the second season of an initial four-year, $22.5 million contract extension that was replaced by a six-year, $107 million extension; club option for 2033.

2026 outlook: Sánchez isn’t an unknown commodity in the league anymore. After a runner-up Cy Young finish in 2025, he’s firmly established himself as one of baseball’s top lefties. His signature changeup is infamous around the league, and he earned an unprecedented new six-year contract that he signed in March.

» READ MORE: Unprecedented? Phillies and Cristopher Sánchez agree to unusual new six-year, $107 million contract

Key question: How high is the ceiling?

When Zack Wheeler’s season ended prematurely in 2025 after a blood clot was identified in his arm, Sánchez stepped up as the Phillies’ ace and Game 1 playoff starter. This season he will be the opening-day starter. How can he continue to raise the bar? Sánchez has been working on improving his slider. “So that the hitters have another thing to add to their preparation list,” he said recently.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 199 IP, 3.28 ERA, 192 K, 47 BB, 4.7 WAR.

Position: Starter | Age: 33 | Throws: Right

Contract status: Fourth season of a four-year, $72 million contract.

2026 outlook: An offseason of hard work helped Walker improve from a 7.10 ERA in 2024 to 4.08 ERA in 2025. As he enters the final year of his deal with the Phillies, he has plenty of motivation to find another gear. Walker, who bounced between the rotation and bullpen frequently in 2025, will start the year in the rotation with Wheeler still working his way back from thoracic outlet decompression surgery.

» READ MORE: Why has Dave Dombrowski invested even more in the Phillies’ starting pitching? Check his record: ‘It’s worked’

Key question: What’s his role when Wheeler returns?

That said, Wheeler is trending toward a return, and it could be by the end of April. Rob Thomson is often reluctant to utilize a six-man rotation due to the stress it places on the bullpen, meaning the Phillies would likely have a surplus of starters again. Walker seems the likeliest candidate to head to back to a relief role when that time comes.

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 118 IP, 5.13 ERA, 82 K, 43 BB, 0.3 WAR.

Position: Starter | Age: 35 | Throws: Right

Contract status: Second year of a three-year, $126 million contract extension.

2026 outlook: Wheeler will begin the season on the injured list as he completes his recovery from thoracic outlet decompression surgery. He has been progressing well, and had already appeared in minor league action by the time the Phillies boarded their charter flight back to Philadelphia at the end of camp. Wheeler enters every season with the goal of winning a Cy Young, and if he remains on track, his next attempt could begin as soon as the end of April.

» READ MORE: Zack Wheeler’s outlook might be a mystery, but he says there’s no reason he can’t ‘be who I am’ in 2026

Key question: What version of Wheeler will return?

Thoracic outlet surgery isn’t your typical injury with your typical recovery process, but Wheeler doesn’t see any reason that he can’t be the same pitcher when he returns to the mound. “Any athlete, you have surgery, you’re optimistic about it,” he said this spring. “You always have that good mindset where you come back and be the same performer as you were.”

Stats projection from ZiPS DC: 159 IP, 3.43 ERA, 164 K, 43 BB, 3.3 WAR.