CLEARWATER, Fla. — Phillies pitchers and catchers report in Clearwater this morning, marking the beginning of a long push toward another October and an elusive World Series title.
The Phillies wrapped up an offseason where they did just as expected, re-signing Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto while adding a leverage reliever in Brad Keller. What was unexpected — the club’s heavy pursuit of Bo Bichette — ultimately did not yield results.
Now, the Phillies arrive at camp with much of the same core. There won’t be steep competition for many spots, other than perhaps one or two in the bullpen and a utility role.
Still, there’s plenty to talk about with this roster. Let’s start with these three questions.
What will the rotation look like at the start of the season?
This question was partly answered by manager Rob Thomson and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski on Monday, as both said it is unlikely Zack Wheeler will be ready by Opening Day. They are confident, however, his rehab following thoracic outlet decompression surgery won’t take too long. So, that leaves the Phillies with three set starting pitchers: Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo and Aaron Nola.
The stopgaps are somewhat obvious: Taijuan Walker, who rejoined the rotation amid injuries last season, and Andrew Painter, the club’s top prospect. But the Phillies could possibly add starting pitching depth, which Dombrowski said is a priority.
It is worth zooming in on Painter, who posted an up-and-down 2025 season. Command, often the last trait to return after Tommy John surgery, was an issue. And his fastball velocity hasn’t quite returned to where it was. But the Phillies are optimistic Painter, with a normal offseason behind him, will regain his form.
“He’s going back to long tossing, which he hadn’t done in the past,” Dombrowski said. “He’s got his arm angle up a tick more, which they think will help him get back to where he was before. … Commanding his pitches — them, of course, being the same quality of pitches he’s had in the past.”
Painter has to earn it, Dombrowski added. But, should the Phillies see consistency and command, it seems likely he will begin the season in the rotation.
What is expected of the Phillies’ top prospects?
Justin Crawford, 22, could become the Phillies’ youngest outfielder in 46 years. (Kim Klement Neitzel / Imagn Images)
There is more buzz around the club’s top prospects than perhaps any time since Painter’s electric start to camp in 2023. At that time, Aidan Miller was still in high school and Justin Crawford had barely started his professional career. Now, they all could ascend to the majors this year.
Crawford is the most certain bet for the Opening Day roster. As long as he performs in camp, he will be the Phillies’ center fielder. He has hit at every level, though his swing is seemingly tailored for groundballs. And he doubled down on defense this offseason, working with Eric Davis.
“I’m not sure what more a guy can do in the minor leagues,” Thomson said. “If he uses the field, gets his base hits, uses the bunt game, the small game, plays good defense — we’ve got a guy that’s going to hit at the bottom of our lineup, get on base and create a lot of havoc.”
Painter, as covered above, will be one of the most interesting storylines in camp. As for Miller: Barring injuries, it is unlikely he will break camp with the team. But he will get reps at third base and possibly second base during spring training, in addition to shortstop. He has flourished at shortstop, recovering from a sluggish start to 2025 to steal 59 bases and slash .264/.392/.433 with an .825 OPS in 116 games (eight in Triple A, 108 in Double A). If there’s an injury in the infield, Miller will be a likely call-up.
How will the new-look outfield shake out?
The Phillies signed right fielder Adolis García to a one-year, $10 million deal. (Tim Warner / Getty Images)
There are at least three pieces set: Brandon Marsh in left, Crawford in center and Adolis García in right. But Marsh, a career .213 hitter against lefties, will need a platoon partner in left. That could be a role Otto Kemp occupies. Other righty platoon options include Pedro León, an offseason waiver claim, and Bryan De La Cruz, who is on a minor-league deal but was the Dominican Winter League MVP. Dylan Moore, also signed to a minor-league contract, could join that list — though he has spent a lot of time in the infield and could fill more of a utility role.
As for what this group will look like offensively: It’ll be interesting. Crawford might hit a lot of groundballs, but he is speedy on the bases and persistent at the plate. The Phillies are essentially betting on García swinging less — something hitting coach Kevin Long has had success curtailing in the past. And perhaps Kemp will have a stronger 2026 after playing through injuries for more than half of last season.
Nick Castellanos is still on the Phillies’ 40-man. But Dombrowski said Monday they continue to push for a change of scenery for the club’s former right fielder, hoping to resolve the situation by the end of the week.