The Philadelphia Phillies had plenty of holes in their 2026 roster, but the primary area of strength was the starting rotation. The big three of Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, and Jesús Luzardo were perhaps the best trio in the sport, while veteran Aaron Nola and rookie Andrew Painter both had second-half bouncebacks.
Considering the strengths—and few weaknesses—of one of the strongest rotations in game today, the Phillies staff grades as one of the best in baseball.
The Phillies' rotation was far and away the strongest part of the team in 2026
Zack Wheeler: A+
This time last year, no one knew if Zack Wheeler would return to the mound again. The three-time All-Star was given a diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome that kept him out of the 2025 postseason. Thankfully, Wheeler not only made a full recovery, but was able to return to the big leagues before the end of April.
It was great to see him back on the mound, and Wheeler was his usual dominant self, firing 162 innings of 3.00 ERA ball with 193 strikeouts. He has talked about retiring after this coming season, but Phillies fans and staff alike hope he changes his mind.
Cristopher Sánchez: A+
Cristopher Sánchez has blossomed into the ace of the Phillies’ staff after arriving seven years ago in a steal of a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. The tall lefty finished second in Cy Young Award voting in 2025 and followed that up with another fantastic campaign this past season.
The 29-year-old led Phillies pitchers with 207 innings pitched, posting a sparkling 2.91 ERA and punching out 231 opponents. On top of that, Sánchez set the all-time record for consecutive scoreless innings by a southpaw with 50 ⅔ straight scoreless frames. Thankfully, he’ll remain in town through 2033 on a team-friendly contract.
Jesús Luzardo: A+
Rounding out the Phillies’ rotational Hydra was Jesús Luzardo, one of president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski’s greatest acquisitions. The Peruvian-born lefty received a $135 million contract extension last offseason, and he delivered in a big way with a 2.86 ERA and 221 strikeouts across 179.2 frames. Luzardo came down with shoulder inflammation for a few weeks in September, but made his way back for a gutsy outing in the Wild Card Series, solidifying his place as one of a trio of aces heading into next season.
Aaron Nola: C-
Had this article been written around the All-Star break, the Phillies’ longest-tenured player would have gotten a surefire “F.” Through the end of July, the 33-year-old had posted a ghastly 5.61 ERA over 114 innings, and calls to move him to the bullpen had grown deafening. The Phils stuck with the future Wall of Famer, and he rewarded them with a 2.93 ERA in 11 outings to finish out the season. On the whole, Nola’s 4.67 ERA is rather uninspiring, but considering the doldrums he weathered early on, there is now some hope for next season.
Andrew Painter: C-
Longtime top prospect Andrew Painter had much the same trajectory as Nola this past season, although the 2021 first-rounder spent over a month in Triple-A after being demoted. His first taste of the Majors went as poorly as one could imagine, with Painter sporting a dreadful 7.06 ERA across 65 innings.
A new and improved changeup worked wonders for him after he was recalled at the tail end of July, and the 23-year-old posted a rock-solid 3.65 ERA in 61.2 IP to finish out the season. All told, his 5.40 season-long ERA is pretty ugly, but that excellent second half should inspire plenty of confidence for 2027.
Alan Rangel: D
When Painter was demoted in mid-June, swingman Alan Rangel got the first crack at filling his rotation spot. It’s hard to fault the 29-year-old rookie for his poor performance; he's really not cut out to be a Major League starter. Still, a 5.88 ERA over 26 innings is pretty rough stuff. He shouldn’t be more than roster filler heading into next season.
Taijuan Walker: F
Remember him? It’s easy to forget that perennial punching bag Taijuan Walker was a member of the Phillies’ roster when the 2026 season began, especially considering that he was released before the end of April. Dave Dombrowski’s $72 million mistake appeared in five contests for the Phils, getting shelled to the tune of a 9.13 ERA over 22 ⅔ innings of work. Mercifully, Walker’s contract is finally finished, and the Phillies can put their four-year nightmare to bed.
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