There isn’t much more you could have asked for from Wheels in 2026. Coming off thoracic outlet decompression surgery that cut his 2025 season short, there was real worry that Wheeler had thrown his last pitch in the MLB. Luckily, that wasn’t the case, as he didn’t miss a beat in 2026, a season which saw him notch his 2,000th career strikeout. Wheels is currently under contract through 2027, so hopefully we’ll get to see him back on the field next season, but retirement is near for the Phillies ace.

What a year for Sanchez, who was one of the big three in the starting rotation all season long. He was tied for the league lead in wins (18), ranked fifth in strikeouts (231), and second in innings pitched (207.0). Sanchez also notably broke the Phillies franchise record for the longest consecutive scoreless streak, tossing an insane 50 ⅔ innings without conceding an earned run.

Sanchy scuffled a bit down the stretch, posting a 4.37 ERA over his last 7 regular season starts, and he also tied Miami’s Sandy Alcantara with 204 hits allowed, most in MLB. Sanchez’s serviceable but shaky second half of the season prevents him from earning an A grade in my book.

The only thing preventing Luzardo from earning an A+ is the fact that he missed a few starts in September with left shoulder inflammation. He was absolutely masterful, pitching to a 1.63 ERA over his final 15 starts while proving nearly impossible to hit on the road all year.

It hurt to see fan favorite Ranger Suarez depart for Boston in the last offseason, but locking up Luzardo for years to come was the right call. Luzardo’s stuff is electric, and he is definitely capable of winning a Cy Young award in the near future.

It was a tale of two seasons for Nola, as the fan base had, for the most part, seemingly reached its breaking point with the Phillies’ longest-tenured player. If you had told me Nola would be receiving anything above a D on these ratings, I wouldn’t have believed it.

After entering the All-Star break with a 5.75 ERA, Nola was exceptional in the second half of the season. He had a 3.33 ERA over his final 14 starts, most of them coming with backup catcher Garrett Stubbs behind the dish. Nola had a 2.82 ERA in his regular-season starts throwing to Stubbs, compared to a rough 5.12 ERA with his longtime battery mate Realmuto.

Nola is under contract through the 2030 season, so my hope is he showed enough to pique some trade interest this offseason, but that’s highly unlikely with the awful contract attached to him (eight years, $172 million).

Similar to Nola, it was a season of many highs and lows for the promising rookie. Painter was 1-8 and had a dreadful 7.06 ERA over the first 14 appearances of his big league career, leading to his demotion on June 17. Hitters were slashing .404 against his four-seam fastball in this part of the season.

Painter spent about a month in Lehigh Valley before being recalled on July 31, where he posted a 3.65 ERA in his final 11 starts. He was also one of the lone bright spots in a quick Phillies postseason, tossing 3 shutout innings in relief with the season on the line. The fastball has seemingly improved, and I’m really excited to see what Painter has in store for his sophomore campaign.

Duran was absolutely electric all season long – and he really was a savior to an otherwise underwhelming bullpen. Duran converted 33 of 35 save opportunities, striking out 84 batters while issuing just 10 walks. Those are elite numbers.

The season did end in a sour way for Duran, as he was previously perfect in his postseason career prior to allowing a go-ahead 3-run blast to Braves third baseman Austin Riley in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card. Duran is under team control through 2027, and I think the Phillies should look to extend their lights-out closer.

McFarlane went from spending the majority of the season in the minors to being the first Phillies pitcher used out of the bullpen in a tied playoff game. He originally made his debut on July 22 with a scoreless inning, before being recalled again in mid-August. Why McFarlane wasn’t used earlier despite the bullpen’s struggles is anyone’s guess.

He posted a 1.83 ERA in 36 games across Reading and Lehigh Valley, and showcased his wicked 100-mph sinker whenever he took the mound. I think the 2022 fourth-round pick will be a valuable back-end piece of the bullpen next season.

2026 was the worst year of Jose’s career. After his 2025 season was cut short due to an 80-game suspension and postseason ban, there was hope Jose could capture his old form and once again become a high-leverage lefty reliever. That was not the case.

I think the most concerning stat for Jose was his inability to get lefties out – they hit .337 off him in 2026. Despite the struggles all season long, Jose was given opportunity after opportunity to prove himself, but came up short. Alvarado is now an impending free agent, and I am curious to see if the front office will see any upside in bringing him back in some capacity for 2027.

Bowlan was a pleasant surprise in 2026; I don’t think anyone knew what to expect when the Phillies acquired him from Kansas City this offseason in exchange for LHP Matt Strahm. Strahm ended up getting DFA’d by the Royals after posting a 7.32 ERA, so it’s safe to say this was a good under-the-radar deal from Dombrowski.

Bowlan had great swing-and-miss stuff, striking out 73 batters over 56.1 innings while serving as a reliable setup man for closer Jhoan Duran most of the season. He scuffled down the stretch with the long ball, giving up three homers in seven appearances in September, but I think Big Bad John will remain an essential part of the bullpen going forward.

Mayza was another unexpected bright spot at times for the Phillies bullpen. He originally signed a minor league contract with a spring training invite in January 2026, before earning a roster spot and spending the entire season with the big league squad.

The 34-year-old local Millersville product appeared in 60 games with six starts, pitching in all types of situations throughout the season. I’d be open to bringing Mayza back on another one-year deal for 2027.

Shugart was a decent option from the Phillies’ bullpen throughout the year. He never developed into a reliable back-end option, but he was serviceable when called upon at times.

Shugart did do something really cool in 2026 – he became the third Phillies pitcher in franchise history to record two wins in one day during a doubleheader against the Giants on April 30. He also ended the season throwing well, posting a 1.96 ERA over his last 15 appearances. Chase will compete for a roster spot next year.

Tanner Banks was really good in 2025 – a 3.07 ERA over 69 appearances. He was expected to remain a vital part of this bullpen in 2026, but the wheels completely fell off. Banks posted a 7.27 ERA in April and a 7.20 ERA in May, leading to his eventual demotion to Triple-A.

The hope is Banks can return to the 2025 form and serve as a reliable lefty option in 2027, and his previous numbers suggest he’s capable, but don’t hold your breath in his age-35 season.

If you watched any Phillies games after the All-Star Break, you probably saw Orion Kerkering give up at least one run every time he was on the mound. That’s not an exaggeration, as Kerkering posted a 9.43 ERA in the second half of the season, leading to his demotion in September.

That being said, I am not ready to give up on Kerkering. People are quick to forget he was one of the Phillies’ best arms prior to the Midsummer Classic, when he posted a 2.43 ERA over 39 appearances to begin the year.

Despite an abysmal second half of 2026 (and his unforgettable miscue in the 2025 NLDS), Kerkering has had plenty of success in his big league career thus far. At 25 years old, he has pitched 184 innings, recorded 204 strikeouts, and compiled a career ERA of 3.47. The talent is there, and I believe he will put these past few months of struggles behind him and bounce back next year.

Brooks Raley was so bad for the Phillies it makes me think he purposefully tried to sabotage their season. Raley was acquired from the rival New York Mets at the trade deadline in exchange for two minor leaguers.

At the time, the move looked like a solid deal for Philadelphia, as Raley had recorded an impressive 1.94 ERA over 41.1 innings and appeared poised to provide a significant boost to a bullpen in need of left-handed relief help. It turned out to be a disaster, as Raley became unusable down the stretch and was left off the postseason roster. He is currently a free agent heading into 2027.

Before the season began, there were a lot of questions swirling around about whether J.T. would be back in Philadelphia for 2026. Dombrowski and company made sure he returned, inking him to a three-year, $45 million extension last winter for Realmuto’s age-35 season.

J.T. has continued to regress offensively, and this was by far his worst season yet, capped by an 0 for 34 slump to end the season. However, his defense and ability to call games for the pitching staff is still exceptional. Realmuto had the second-best pop time to 2B in MLB (1.85 seconds), only trailing his teammate Garrett Stubbs.

I am concerned about the next two years of this contract, and I think the Phillies desperately need to bring in another viable catching option this offseason, because the end appears very near for J.T.

It’s hard not to like Stubbs. He’s loved in the clubhouse, always has a positive attitude, and appears to have single-handedly revived Aaron Nola’s career. He also completely defies the typical build of a Major League catcher, standing just 5’9” and weighing 170 pounds. As mentioned above, his pop time to 2nd base was the best in the majors (1.84 seconds).

Unfortunately for Stubbs, he just can’t hit at the major-league level. It is a bit surprising he was able to hang onto the Phillies roster in some capacity for as long as he has, but it’s time to go a different direction behind the plate for 2027.

Marchan had no business being on a major league roster, and playing in meaningful games for a team that was supposed to be competing for a World Series this year. He was just about as close to an automatic out you can get, going 9-for-91 at the plate. Although Marchan is a relatively good defender (10th-best pop time to second base), he should not be on this roster in 2027.

Philadelphia reshuffled its entire infield and traded one of their best pitching prospects, Ramon Marquez, for half a season of Luis Arraez, who didn’t play in the postseason due to injury. The three-time batting champ repaid the City of Brotherly Love by recording the worst batting average of his eight-year career.

I do think Arraez provides great balance to a lineup that generally has a ton of swing-and-miss, as he struck out just 28 times in 596 at-bats (4.7% strikeout rate). There really isn’t any power value with Arraez, but his ability to put the ball in play is beneficial in and of itself. Arraez is now a free agent, but I’d be open to Dombrowski bringing him back on a short-term deal for the reasons listed above.

If this is the end of the Alec Bohm era, it’s been one hell of a ride. Bohm’s season got off to a brutal start, as he posted a .138/.245/.243 slash line through March and April. From there, though, things drastically improved as Bohm turned it around.

Over his seven seasons in Philly, Bohm has always had a knack for driving in runs. That trend continued in 2026, as Bohm recorded 88 RBIs (second on the team) and batted .347 with runners in scoring position. I don’t think the power ever fully developed like Phillies fans would have hoped, as there was always something left to be desired in that department.

His ability to produce runs, hit with runners on base, and play both corner positions should allow him to receive a solid contract offer this offseason, but I think it’s time for the Phillies and Bohm to part ways.

Stott was efficient and consistent in 2026, enjoying most of his success at the plate in the second half of the season. He has recorded very similar offensive numbers in each of his last four seasons in Philadelphia, and although they won’t blow anyone away, he has been steadily productive offensively.

Stott’s primary strength is his defensive ability, as he holds the highest career fielding percentage in MLB HISTORY (.9942). Stott, a shortstop by trade, was then thrust into the role of third baseman following the acquisition of Luis Arraez. His versatility and defensive skill set allowed him to transition seamlessly to the hot corner as well, while he continued to produce offensively.

I also want to highlight Stott’s durability, as he has played at least 148 games in each of the last four years. He is a valuable piece of this Phillies team and should remain an everyday player moving forward.

A year removed from winning the 2025 batting title, Trea Turner had easily the worst season of his career with the bat and glove. His batting average (.242) and on-base percentage (.297) were by far lifetime lows, and the Phillies’ shortstop is still under contract for the next seven years. If that wasn’t bad enough, Turner was tied for the league lead in errors, with 21, and overall was not effective at the position.

Unfortunately, Trea’s struggles have also leaked into the postseason each of the past three seasons, during which he has combined for a .186 AVG and only 1 extra-base hit. The only positive for Trea in 2026 was scoring the 10th-most runs in the league, with 101.

I do think Trea will benefit from a clean slate in 2027, but I am skeptical that he will ever return to the level of performance he is being paid for. I’d also like to see the Phillies exploring the possibility of playing him in the outfield and at second base.

Sosa once again provided ideal depth at various positions for the team during his fifth season in Philadelphia. He was effective when the Phillies needed him most, batting .323 with runners in scoring position and .290 against left-handed pitching. On top of the offensive efficiency, Sosa played four different positions in 2026 – LF, 2B, SS, and 3B.

Edmundo has been nothing but consistent during his time in Philadelphia, and you can see how much he enjoys playing each time he’s out on the field. Now entering free agency this offseason, I hope Sosa remains a Phillie.

Bryce was elite in 2026. For the first time in his career, the Phillies’ star played in all 162 games, showcasing his durability and consistency to help the team win games. Bryce started the season as the everyday first baseman, but the acquisition of Luis Arraez at the trade deadline sent him back to his old stomping grounds in right field.

He led the NL with 107 walks and ranked fifth in on-base percentage at .380. Harper looks poised to build on this success next season and remain one of the game’s best hitters.

Brandon Marsh led MLB with a .338 batting average on June 8, earning a well-deserved spot on the All-Star team in mid-July. However, he then posted a league-worst .490 OPS among qualified hitters from July 13 to September 20.

Marsh’s numbers show a drastic decline, as his slash line fell from .301/.334/.490 before the break to .184/.243/.259 afterward. Fifteen of his 18 homers came before the All-Star break, and he was virtually unplayable the remainder of the season.

Marsh has been productive at times during his five seasons in Philly, but his inconsistency and streakiness have been too widespread. I think it’s time the Phillies go in another direction to bolster their outfield.

I think there are some things to like about Crawford’s rookie season. He covered a lot of ground in center field, and put the ball in play at a high rate. The main issue with Crawford is the absence of power at the plate. He recorded only three home runs in 149 games, not providing any long ball threat to opposing pitchers.

However, Crawford’s lack of power doesn’t mean he can’t become a valuable player for the Phillies in the future. He’ll just need to excel in other areas of his game more than players who have the ability to hit for power. In my opinion, Crawford should consistently hit above or around the .300 mark if he wants to be an everyday player. Also, he’s going to have to cause more havoc on the basepaths, stealing 30-40 bags a year.

I think he’ll have a strong sophomore season, but I think his overall ceiling is relatively low.

Derek Hill was an excellent pickup for Philadelphia. When he was acquired on June 11, many Phillies fans, myself included, either had little reaction or expressed frustration with GM Dave Dombrowski for failing to make a flashier move. To be fair, the former first-round pick had been a career journeyman, playing for eight teams in seven seasons and having little success.

For whatever reason, that changed when Hill arrived in Philadelphia. He posted career highs in nearly every offensive category while appearing in 117 games, by far the most of his career. Hill also came through in clutch moments throughout the season, having several big-time moments and tying for the MLB lead with four pinch-hit home runs.

Hopefully the Phillies have found something with Hill, and he will continue to provide a spark off the bench in the future.

The Phillies signed De La Cruz to a minor-league contract in November 2025, and he went on to win MVP of the Dominican Winter League, slashing .301/.372/.515. He began the season in Triple-A while the Phillies experimented with other outfield options in search of more production from the right side of the plate. Originally, it was Dylan Moore and Otto Kemp, then Felix Reyes and Steward Berroa, before De La Cruz finally got the call on July 5.

He made the most of his opportunities, which was extremely beneficial amid teammate Brandon Marsh’s offensive struggles. De La Cruz is arbitration-eligible and will likely compete for a roster spot again next spring as the Phillies look to address several question marks in the outfield.

The Phillies made sure to lock up one of the game’s best sluggers this offseason, signing Schwarber to a five-year, $150 million contract. Schwarber had a phenomenal 2025 campaign, mashing 56 home runs and driving in 132 runs while finishing second in NL MVP voting. Given how historic his season was, expecting him to replicate that level of production was simply unrealistic.

Schwarbs came close, leading the team with 97 RBI and tying Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong for the league lead with 45 home runs. His 2026 season proved that he has no intention of slowing down, and he should remain one of the most entertaining players to watch in MLB.