The 2026 season has been a rollercoaster for the Philadelphia Phillies. Long losing streaks and players quickly declining have taken positive energy away from the ethos of the club's season. There's no denying that.
But as we enter the middle of September, let's remember why we are here in the middle of postseason contention. Clutch hitting has been key. Kyle Schwarber's power has yet to run dry. But most importantly, the starting rotation has been central to the team's success.
The Phillies have one of the best rotations in Major League Baseball, and it's probably the biggest reason why this club even has a shot at not only making the playoffs, but contending for an NL East pennant. We've gotten to the point where we're not sure who would/could/should start Game 1 of the playoffs. That is a great problem to have. But as we deepen our path through the regular season, fans may wonder: Where do the Phillies rank right now among best MLB starting rotations? They are not far away from being No. 1.
Philadelphia Phillies' starting rotation is as good anyone's in Major League Baseball
Entering Sept. 8, just ahead of the Phillies' three-game series against the Astros, Philadelphia ranks towards the top in several collective starting rotation categories. The team is first among all 30 teams with 873 strikeouts. The next best would be the Brewers, who have 824. Dominance is key, and there is no denying that the Phillies lead in that trait.
The Phillies' rotation is also tops with two shutouts (shoutout Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo).
They are also seventh in both ERA (3.77) and WHIP (1.24). That's not significant, but once you peel back the onion, you'll see that the front-end of the staff is much stronger, making them potentially the staff best equipped for a short series. The three-headed monster of Sánchez, Luzardo, and Zack Wheeler has a combined 2.87 ERA, 1.122 WHIP, and .737 winning percentage. Those are numbers that are tough for anyone to rival.
So, if we're talking about the best starting rotations in baseball strictly on the entire staff, then the Phillies would be anywhere in the fourth to seventh range. Aaron Nola and Andrew Painter have similar WHIPs in the high 1.300 range, which hurts the overall staff's numbers, though both have been far more dominant as of late.
Other teams like the Tampa Bay Rays (1st in K/BB and WHIP), the New York Yankees (1st in ERA), and Los Angeles Dodgers/Milwaukee Brewers (T-1st in BAA) would be ahead of the Phillies.
On paper, the Yankees probably have the best overall rotation when Cam Schlittler, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, and Ryan Weathers are healthy. Based on stats, the Rays may have the edge, but can we expect each of Nick Martinez, Drew Rasmussen, and Shane McClanahan to remain dominant (and active, with McClanahan already on the IL)?
The Dodgers are loaded with All-Stars in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, (former pitcher?) Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and Justin Wrobleski. Their constant injuries suggest they also maybe shouldn't be considered very reliable.
If we were to rank starting rotations based on who would throw in a postseason series, it would go:
- 1. Yankees
- 2. Dodgers
- 3. Phillies
- 4. Rays
- 5. Brewers
This is solely based on the fact that Sánchez, Luzardo, and Wheeler would pitch in these games.
If we were ranking the entirety of a rotation right now, with every starter scheduled to throw, it would go:
- 1-2. Yankees/Dodgers
- 3. Rays
- 4. Brewers
- 5. Phillies
Unfortunately, the back-end of Philadelphia's rotation has proven to show some holes. But if Don Mattingly can avoid using them as starters in the playoffs, then this team all of a sudden has one of the best rotations imaginable.
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