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Although the Philadelphia Phillies are a very good baseball team, it's clear that their window of opportunity to win the World Series is narrowing. For several years now, many observers have picked Rob Thomson's team as the favorite to win the championship, but the team has been treading water since the end of the 2025 season, and there are no signs of great things to come in the near future.
According to Jim Bowden, a renowned analyst employed by several American media outlets, the Phillies should settle for third place in their division in 2026 and will fight for a spot as the best second-place team. This would be a far cry from the excellent season the Pennsylvania team had in 2025. The Phillies won the National League East title hands down, finishing the season 13 games ahead of their closest rivals, the New York Mets.
“I just don't know what I'm getting with Zack Wheeler.”
The questions surrounding the Phillies starting rotation are a big reason why @JimBowdenGM has them ranked third in the NL East.
Do you agree?
pic.twitter.com/noHdVCdS4C
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 2, 2026
Looking at things more closely, it must be said that the Phillies, although their 96-66 record accurately reflected the quality of their performances, also benefited from a certain mediocrity on the part of the Mets and Braves, who greatly disappointed their fans and will have a lot to make up for at the start of the 2026 season.
Bowden identifies the Phillies' starting rotation as their main weakness compared to recent years. The team's starting pitchers have kept the ship afloat for the past few seasons, but team management has mishandled the situation looming on the horizon. Of course, it was difficult to predict Zack Wheeler's injury, a blood clot in his right arm that sidelined him and ended his 2025 season prematurely.
The Phillies' ace pitcher will be out at the start of the season, and it is unclear when he will return. Add to that the loss of Ranger Suarez, now with the Boston Red Sox, and you have a big mess. Cristopher Sanchez is currently the leader of the group and will be supported by Aaron Nola, Jesús Luzardo, Taijuan Walker, and the possible and hoped-for contribution of Andrew Painter.
The Phillies' best pitching prospect in many years is recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2023, causing him to miss the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Last year, he regained his form in the minors. Rob Thomson is keeping his fingers crossed that his big right-hander will finally become the player the team has been pinning its prospects on since his selection in 2021. It's time for Painter to deliver, but expectations shouldn't be too high.
The disappointment caused by Bo Bichette's signing with the New York Mets is still being felt in Philadelphia, and fans will hold it against him for a long time to come. The former Toronto Blue Jays player would have been a great addition to the Phillies' lineup, and his bat would have served the team well in their upcoming battles with the Mets and Braves. Not only did the Phillies miss out on a great hitter, but they also saw Bichette choose a division rival, a direct blow that hurts a lot.
For now, the arrival of Adolis Garcia is intended to be a balm for some wounds that will need to be healed quickly. However, the former Texas Rangers player has seen his offensive production decline in recent seasons. Perhaps a change of scenery will be good for him?
This content was created with the help of AI.
