5 burning questions Phillies need to answer as spring training begins

Philadelphia Phillies fans have been waiting a while for baseball to resume after another early postseason exit last October. Now that it's finally here, with Phillies pitchers and catchers reporting on Wednesday, we have to get down to the nitty-gritty and start the journey toward figuring out what the roster will look like come Opening Day.

The narrative this offseason has been that the Phillies are "running it back." That's true in one respect. They still have the same veteran core, just one year older, but there have been changes. How those changes will pan out is anyone's guess.

Despite many of the same faces returning again and most of the jobs spoken for, there will be some interesting storylines as we head into training camp with questions about where certain players fit and what the final roster will look like. With camp just officially kicking off, the Phillies still have over six weeks to figure things out and answer these burning questions before Opening Day.

Here are 5 burning questions the Phillies need to find answers to as spring training begins

Who will get the final two bullpen spots?

The bullpen has undergone some changes this winter. Matt Strahm is out, Brad Keller is in. If you include right-hander Jonathan Bowlan, who came over in the Strahm trade, that's six spots seemingly spoken for. With just two openings left, there will be a fierce battle.

Among the frontrunners is Rule 5 Draft pick Zach McCambley, who the Phillies are high on and who has to make the team or be returned to the Miami Marlins. They have a swath of relievers on the 40-man roster who could win a job. Zach Pop is out of options so might have an advantage as long as he performs well. The rest of the 40-man relievers, including Seth Johnson, Chase Shugart, Max Lazar, Kyle Backhus, and Nolan Hoffman, all have minor league options left.

The Phillies also have a plethora of non-roster invitees coming to camp, any of whom could jump to the front of the line with a good spring.

Is Justin Crawford ready for The Show?

The Phillies have all but handed top prospect Justin Crawford the center field job. Everything they have said and done (or not done) this offseason points to the 22-year-old breaking camp with the team.

But Crawford still needs to show that he's ready to take on the role that the Phillies are hoisting onto his shoulders. He'll have five weeks of Grapefruit League action to prove that he's capable, not just at the plate but in the field. His defense has been questioned relentlessly.

Spring training will tell us something about Crawford. The Phillies seem ready to take their shot with him, although he still has to earn the job in camp. Regardless of how it goes, we won't really know if he's ready for the bigs until he gets into the grind of the regular season.

How long will we have to wait for Zack Wheeler?

We already know that the Phillies will be without Zack Wheeler on Opening Day (subscription required). It was already assumed but confirmed by manager Rob Thomson earlier this week. The good news is that we shouldn't have to wait too long after that to see the ace return to the rotation, according to Thomson.

But once camp ramps up it's anyone's guess what might happen with Wheeler's timeline. After his surgery to deal with venous thoracic outlet syndrome in September, the initial recovery time put his return somewhere between Opening Day through the end of May.

We'll all be watching closely for updates as spring progresses, hoping that Wheeler maintains his optimistic timetable. But we won't really know until closer to the end of camp how long the Phillies will expect to be without the multiple-time Cy Young runner-up.

Where does Otto Kemp fit in?

Is Otto Kemp is in line to inherit the left field platoon role? The Phillies are looking for a right-handed hitter to pair with Brandon Marsh and Kemp appears to have the inside track. The Phillies have been high on him since calling him up last season.

Originally undrafted, Kemp didn't give them much of a choice as he pummeled Triple-A pitching last year. He had his moments in the big leagues but had some struggles in his adjustment period while playing through multiple injuries.

Kemp will be a name to watch when Grapefruit League action begins. A good spring should cement his place on the Opening Day roster. If he struggles, the door will be open for someone else.

Will Andrew Painter show that his 2025 troubles are behind him?

Phillies fans have been waiting for top pitching prospect Andrew Painter since it looked like he'd make the team out of spring training in 2023. Unfortunately, Tommy John surgery shelved the right-hander, and then he struggled in Triple-A in his first season back last year.

The good news is that the Phillies think Painter's problems are behind him. He lost his arm slot due to fatigue and didn't look like the same pitcher we remembered. If he shows that he's fixed his mechanics this spring, the fifth spot is his.

Without Wheeler on Opening Day, the Phillies will turn to Painter and Taijuan Walker to backfill the rotation. When Wheeler returns, Painter should have the inside edge to remain in the rotation, assuming everything goes well in his first taste of the majors.