Phillies Finally Ready to Roll Out Their Rotation, Including Andrew Painter

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Phillies are finally rolling out their rotation beginning Thursday against the Washington Nationals at BayCare Ballpark.

Through five games of Grapefruit League play, the Phils started depth pieces Bryse Wilson and Alan Rangel with the other three bullpen games.

But the starters will be involved the rest of the way. Taijuan Walker starts Thursday against the Nats, Aaron Nola will pitch Friday at home against the Marlins on a split-squad day, Cristopher Sanchez will start Saturday in Dunedin against the Blue Jays, and then comes top pitching prospect Andrew Painter's much-anticipated 2026 spring debut on Sunday against the Yankees.

The other member of the projection season-opening rotation, Jesus Luzardo, will throw a simulated game in Clearwater on Saturday, then lines up for three innings against the Red Sox next Thursday, manager Rob Thomson said.

Walker, Nola, Sanchez and Painter will go two innings maximum in their first starts of the spring. Walker and Sanchez will then depart for the World Baseball Classic, where the limit in pool play is 65 pitches. Walker figures to be the ace for Mexico, with whom he pitched four scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against Great Britain in the 2023 WBC.

Sanchez will start Game 1 for the Dominican Republic on March 6 against Nicaragua. And from there?

"Then we'll read," Thomson said, meaning the Phillies will react to how Sanchez' first WBC start goes before figuring out a plan for the rest of the tournament.

All eyes on Painter

Painter's start on Sunday will be his first in spring training since March 1, 2023, when he pitched two innings and flashed 99 mph in Fort Myers against a Twins lineup featuring big-leaguers Carlos Correa, Joey Gallo, Max Kepler, Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vazquez and Kyle Farmer. Most of them came away impressed by the then-19-year-old, who turns 23 on April 10 and will be a vital piece of the 2026 Phillies.

Painter struggled with command last season at Triple A in his first full year back from Tommy John surgery. A big spring storyline thus far has been his arm angle returning to its previous, pre-TJ slot, which he and the Phils hope corrects some of the issues from 2025.

"Everyone's always told me that the second year back (from Tommy John surgery) is when you're going to feel good and the most important part," Painter told reporters early in camp. "First year is kind've the health. I think (2025) was a success. A lot of stuff I learned, some things I don't want to do moving forward. I learned how to manage a high workload last year and kind've just stay on the field."

Wheeler update

Zack Wheeler's season debut will have to wait until late-April or some time in May as he ramps up from September surgery to correct venous thoracic outlet syndrome, which involved the removal of a rib.

The Phillies are happy with Wheeler's progress, which to this point has involved long-tossing with the occasional breaking ball.

"He'll be up on the mound soon," Thomson said. "He had flat-ground today out to 120 (feet). Yeah, he'll be off a mound soon."