Philadelphia Phillies’ Greatest Strength Will Be Their Starting Rotation

The Philadelphia Phillies are going to have to ride their experienced starting rotation to overall success in 2025.

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 Philadelphia Phillies have a lot of talent and big names on their roster. Their lineup and pitching staff are both littered with All-Stars, as they are one of the best teams in baseball.

With the calendar flipping to 2025, they are still looking for ways to improve their roster. Some low-risk, high-reward transactions have already been made with the signings of relief pitcher Jordan Romano and outfielder Max Kepler and their trade for starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo.

The deal with the Miami Marlins to acquire the talented lefty was not cheap, as they parted ways with two of their top 30 prospects — shortstop Starlyn Caba and outfielder Emaarion Boyd.

The Phillies are banking on Luzardo being able to bounce back in 2025, returning to the form that he showed during a breakout 2023 campaign on South Beach. Injuries derailed his 2024, as he was nowhere near as effective.

One of the benefits of pitching in Philadelphia is that he won’t be relied upon as the ace of the staff.

With the Marlins, he was their No. 1 when Sandy Alcantara went down with an injury. That won’t be the case next season, as Luzardo will slot in as the No. 5 starter in the Phillies’ starting rotation.

There isn’t a rotation in baseball that sports as much star power as Philadelphia. Their ace is Zack Wheeler, the Cy Young Award runner-up in the National League in 2024. Workhorse Aaron Nola is the No. 2.

Cristopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez, the No. 3 and No. 4 starters, were both All-Stars this past season. Slotting Luzardo in behind them provides the franchise with an embarrassment of riches on the mound before even taking into account their top pitching prospect, Andrew Painter, knocking on the door of the Major Leagues.

It should come as no surprise then that the Phillies starting rotation has been ranked No. 2 in all of baseball. The only team to finish ahead of them in the rankings put together by Bradford Doolittle of ESPN is the Seattle Mariners.

Philadelphia is No. 1 ranked in star power and right behind the Mariners in depth and length; Seattle is first in depth, length and dominance. 

Where the biggest difference comes in dominance, where the Phillies are ranked only seventh.

“Last season, the Mariners ranked second in the majors in expected batting average, per Statcast, indicating just how much soft contact Seattle induced. The Phillies finished closer to the middle of the pack. Make no mistake though, this is a deep, dominant starting rotation, potentially the best in the National League,” wrote Doolittle as part of the reasoning for where they ranked.

That starting rotation will be what drives Philadelphia’s success in 2025. Pitching is what wins championships and there aren’t many teams that can go toe-to-toe with what Rob Thomson will at his disposal in the rotation.