"The Phils generally run one of the top payrolls in the league, but it never seemed like they would have the money to bring back all of them. Schwarber and Realmuto felt like the priorities. Losing Suárez would hurt the rotation, but the Phils could still hope for a good starting group without him."
"Once he is back, four spots would be taken by Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo. The final spot could then come down to a battle between Taijuan Walker and Andrew Painter. Painter still has options and could be sent to Triple-A if he doesn't win that battle."
"In center field, the Phils seemed committed to giving Justin Crawford a shot. He has a particularly contact- and speed-based approach. He's never hit ten home runs in a season but puts the ball in play and lets his legs do the work."
The Phillies maintained a similar roster composition for 2026 with a $227MM total payroll, though they faced significant free agency losses including Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Ranger Suárez, and Harrison Bader. The team prioritized retaining Schwarber and Realmuto but lacked sufficient payroll flexibility to bring back all departing players. The rotation will feature Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, and Jesús Luzardo, with Wheeler expected back early after thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. The fifth starter spot will be contested between Taijuan Walker and Andrew Painter. In center field, the Phillies committed to prospect Justin Crawford, who features a contact-and-speed approach despite limited power production. The team accepted prospect-dependent risk in several positions due to limited established backup options.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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