The Phillies player with the most evidence in spring training

The Philadelphia Phillies are in a strange position as they prepare for the 2026 season. They were big winners last yearmoved to a 13-game lead over the second-place New York Mets. The Phillies were the best team in the division by a wide margin, but it might not be that easy to repeat in the upcoming season.

The New York Mets have plenty of talent and ability, but haven’t had much of a response in the second half of the season. The Atlanta Braves are usually a playoff contender thanks to their well-rounded team. They have a dynamic leader in Ronaldo Acuna Jr., but they got off to a rough start and were never in contention.

Both the Mets and Braves figure to be much more competitive in the National League East this coming season, and the Phillies may have much more of a fight within the division this season.

Even if the Phillies remain the dominant team in the division, there are other problems. The The Los Angeles Dodgers are a dominant team in the National League, and any team with aspirations of earning a spot in the National League will have to deal with the Dodgers.

It will be a tough challenge and the Phillies will have to contend with the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres as well as the Dodgers. Phillies manager Rob Thomson knows that it’s not just a matter of winning the division and making the playoffs. He needs a team that won’t be intimidated by the Dodgers or overwhelmed by an up-and-coming team like the Cubs.

He needs a team that will show remarkable growth, and there are significant issues with the pitching staff. Aaron Nola should be the team’s No. 1 pitcher after struggling to a 5-10 record while making 17 starts last season. He has to get back to top form, and that starts in spring training.

Aaron Nola must return to top form

The Phillies are counting on Nola to have a bounce-back season. First-time starter Zack Wheeler had chest decompression surgery in September, so there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready to start the season. Ranger Suarez was the No. 2 starter, but left in free agency and signed with the Boston Red Sox.

The Phillies are happy with Christopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo, but they clearly need more. They need Nola to get back to top form. He had multiple injuries last year, but they shouldn’t hold him back in 2026. He had a sprained ankle and a stress fracture in one rib, so those questions likely won’t resurface next season.

The biggest issue will be finding a way to get his four-seam fastball back in shape. His top is his wrist, but his quad wasn’t what it should have been last year. His fastball dropped a few miles per hour last year and the results were predictable. He was hit hard and didn’t miss the bat like he has in the past.

As Nola prepares for the 33-year-old season, he must avoid the home run ball. This has been a problem in recent years and the drop in speed seems to be having a key impact on this area. However, location is probably the biggest issue and he obviously needs to stay out of the middle of the strike zone.

Avoiding the home run ball will allow Nola to get deeper into games, which will allow him to regain his position in the rotation.

Nola was 14-8 in 2024 with a 3.57 earned run average. He made 33 starts and threw 199.1 innings. He averaged nearly a strikeout per inning with 197 in 199.1 innings. The Phillies hope they can approach that form this season.

Taijuan Walker should have a chance at the back of the rotation

The Phillies had high hopes for Taijuan Walker when they signed him to a four-year, $72 million contract after the 2022 season.

He was up and down in his first three years with the Phillies. The right-hander failed to fulfill the role of a reliable starter. Last year, he started 21 times, and made 13 relief appearances. Walker had a 5-8 record with a 4.08 ERA. He struck out just 86 batters in 123.2 innings.

He had his best year with the Phillies in 2023. Walker was 15-6 in 2023 with a 4.38 ERA with 138 strikeouts in 172.2 innings. The Phillies would love to see Walker return to that form this coming season.

If Nola is healthy and can return to form, and Walker can also live up to expectations at the end of the rotation, the Phillies should have an excellent chance of having a winning rotation in 2026.