Philadelphia Phillies Pitching Staff Will Decide Team’s Ultimate Potential

The Philadelphia Phillies are going to contend this season on the back of their pitching staff.

Oct 5, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning in game one of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The 2024 campaign came to a disappointing end for the Philadelphia Phillies when they were defeated by the New York Mets in the NLDS in four games.

All the work that was put into winning 95 games in the regular season and taking home the National League East title was undone so quickly by their division rivals.

Heading into the offseason, some wondered whether a shake-up was on the horizon. For the second consecutive October, the Phillies had suffered a brutal meltdown leading to an earlier-than-anticipated exit from the postseason.

Uncharacteristically, Dave Dombrowski was quiet again, as Philadelphia didn’t make any major additions to the roster.

Despite their relatively quiet offseason, Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) likes how they stack up against the rest of the MLB.

In his spring training power rankings, he has placed them at No. 3, behind only the 2024 World Series participants; the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers and American League pennant-winning New York Yankees.

What is going to help the Phillies keep pace with the other contenders in baseball is their incredible pitching staff.

Finding a fifth starter was one of the items on their to-do list in the winter and they hit a home run acquiring Jesus Luzardo from the Miami Marlins.

He has frontend stuff but has dealt with a multitude of injuries throughout his career. If he gets close to the form he showed during his breakout 2023 campaign, Philadelphia would have a legitimate argument of possessing the best rotation in baseball.

Luzardo is filling in behind NL Cy Young Award runner-up Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and two 2024 All-Stars; Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez.

There are some concerns that not enough was done with the bullpen, which suffered two sizable losses. Jeff Hoffman signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and Carlos Estevez joined the Kansas City Royals in free agency.

Jordan Romano will be helping replace their production.

After an injury-riddled 2024, he was non-tendered by the Blue Jays. Prior to those injuries, he was one of the best closers in baseball and is a prime bounce-back candidate.

No other additions high-leverage additions were made, but the team does have Orion Kerkering ready to assume a larger role.

He was excellent as a rookie in 2024 and is the best under-25 reliever in baseball.

His ascension, combined with the addition of Romano, has the potential to replicate and potentially surpass what Hoffman and Estevez provided.