This Unit Can Carry Phillies To Success for Rest of the Year

Which unit is going to be key for the Philadelphia Phillies for the rest of the year?

May 6, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies interim manger coach Don Mattingly (8) walks off the field after making a pitching change against the Athletics during the eighth inning at Citizens Bank Park. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies have been playing much better of late since the firing of Rob Thomson, and with plenty of season to go, they are marching back toward the .500 mark. 

Following one of the worst starts in baseball, the Phillies' decision to fire their manager was certainly the right one. Since Don Mattingly has taken over, the team is 8-2 in their last 10 and has been handling their business against teams they should beat. 

There has been a nice improvement across the board for the Phillies during the strong stretch, but the most important area for the team is going to be the starting rotation. On paper, this is a unit that could be one of the best in the league. 

The recent return of Zack Wheeler has coincided with the team performing better, and that is no surprise. Wheeler hasn’t missed a beat since coming back from the injured list, and he, alongside Cristopher Sanchez, is one of the best one-two punches in the league. 

While Philadelphia still has a lot of work to do to get back into playoff contention early on, they are a team that could be built for success if they get there. 

Pitching Can Carry the Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Even though there is still a lot of work to be done for Philadelphia, it is becoming clear that they are starting to turn things around and could be right back in the mix very soon. When looking at the roster, it is clear that it is going to be the pitching staff that will likely carry them as far as they can go. 

As mentioned, the duo of Sanchez and Wheeler is capable of going up and beating any team in the league. Come the playoffs, that could be really scary for opponents, and the Phillies have talent behind them as well. 

While Aaron Nola and Jesus Luzardo have had some inconsistencies this year, they both have some serious upside as well when they are pitching well. Furthermore, the wild card for the Phillies is undoubtedly Andrew Painter. The young right-hander hasn’t hit the ground running just yet, but he is one of the best prospects in the organization for a reason and has some great stuff. 

Overall, while getting back to the .500 mark will be the first goal, this is a rotation that has the potential to carry the Phillies a long way. Even though it hasn’t been perfect so far, there is reason to believe there will be some improved performances going forward.