2015 Phillies Rotation Candidates

Lee and Hamels will be the rotation leaders, assuming they stay and are healthy.

(Photo: csnbayarea.com)

Assuming that both are healthy and haven’t been traded away, both big assumptions these days, the Phillies 2015 rotation will be led by dynamic veteran lefties Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. When right, Lee and Hamels are both among the game’s top dozen hurlers, and give the Phils a 1-2 punch to match any team in baseball.

But beyond those two, the rotation is full of question marks. There are youngsters looking to establish themselves as big leaguers, a couple looking to break in for the first time. And there are veterans who have either a history of mediocre performances, of injuries, or who are aging past their prime.

While the Phils are publicly building towards a hoped-for better future, there is a 2015 season to be played. Right now there are at least 10 pitchers who will go to spring training hoping to impress enough to earn the 3rd through 5th rotation slots.

This doesn’t even include top pitching prospects like Aaron Nola, Zach Eflin, Ben Lively, or Tom Windle, all of whom will be trying to impress enough to earn the Phillies trust and possibly take a key step towards an eventual call-up some time in the 2015 season.

Let’s look at the 10 pitchers who will fight for at least 3 Phillies pitching rotations this spring, in alphabetical order: