The Philadelphia Phillies offseason wasn’t the best by any means, but if there was one area of the team that got considerably worse than where it was at the start of last season, it would be the starting pitching staff.

While there are still a few nice starters, like Jesus Luzardo and Cristopher Sanchez, the rest of the rotation is full of major question marks.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic has three players he has major questions about for the 2026 season. Those players are Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, and rookie right-hander Andrew Painter.

Phillies face three major SP questions on Nola, Painter, Wheeler

“Can Zack Wheeler and rookie Andrew Painter stay healthy and live up to expectations?” Bowden writes. “Can Aaron Nola return to form?”

The injury uncertainty with Wheeler and Painter is a major concern. If either were to struggle when coming back from injury, it would pose a huge problem for the Phillies.

Sanchez and Luzardo are good, and Taijuan Walker is an innings-eater at best. Getting Painter or Wheeler back fully healthy for 2026 would be a massive boost.

But if neither returns to form from injury or isn’t at their best right away, the Phillies will be in a tricky spot.

More: MLB Hot Stove tracker: Live updates on news, rumors, signings and trades for 2025 free agency

That doesn’t even include Nola, who is also coming off an injury-riddled season that saw him post his worst year in the Majors.

As Bowden mentions, the Phillies expensive righty needs to return to form. It’s not going to be easy after what he showed in 2025, but if he can turn things around, the rotation will be in a much better spot.

But if Nola, Wheeler, and Painter all struggled, which is a very real possibility, the Phillies’ rotation, which was one of the best in MLB last year, could be a major weakness.

There is no more position group for the Phillies than the starting rotation, and with Ranger Suarez now with the Boston Red Sox, and the uncertainty with the other starters, the Phillies rotation could be in an iffy spot next year.

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