NL East Power Rankings and Preview for 2026

We’ve officially made it! After a long winter of waiting, regular-season baseball officially returns later this week!

With the new season just days away, our team at Just Baseball is bringing you extensive previews for each of the divisions around the league. Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at the National League East, a division that has a legitimate shot to be one of the more competitive ones we see in 2026.

In four out of the five most recent seasons, the NL East winner has won at least 95 games, showing the true strength of the top of this division. With some of the league’s most feared rosters, this division is going to be must-watch TV all season long.

The Philadelphia Phillies have taken the division crown home in back-to-back seasons, winning 95 and 96 games in each of these campaigns. After retaining most of their core, including Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, this team will continue to be a threat.

However, with questions surrounding some of the young players on their roster, we’ll have to wait and see if they take home the division crown yet again.

The New York Mets will also be a strong contender for the division lead, and they’ll be doing so with plenty of new faces. Without Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, or Jeff McNeil, they’ll be turning to Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr., and Freddy Peralta, among others, to take care of business.

The Atlanta Braves will be in a very interesting spot this year as well. Their rotation has been struck with a seemingly endless string of injuries, but their lineup is still as fierce as ever. Whether or not they’ll succeed will likely come down to the health of their club, and if they remain on the field, they could easily return to the top of the division yet again.

The Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins find themselves in a similar position. 2026 will be more about retooling and seeing growth from their young faces rather than competing for the division title. However, each team features some exciting young stars who could be a piece of their next chapters.

This is a division that is stacked full of talent, and projections have it slated to be one of the most exciting divisions the sport has to offer in 2026.

Top 10 Position Players in the NL East

Top 10 Pitchers in the NL East

5. Washington Nationals

2025 Record: 66-96, Finished 5th in the NL East

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

For the Nationals, this year will be about proving that their young core is taking a step forward.

After Dylan Crews failed to make the Opening Day roster, the Nationals will turn to James Wood to prove that this team is heading in the right direction. With Wood coming off his first All-Star season, where he slugged 31 homers, he’ll easily be the highlight of this squad.

Not far behind Wood is CJ Abrams, who has posted almost identical numbers in the past two seasons. He’s gone three straight years with at least 18 homers and 31 stolen bases, as he’s shown the foundation of being a very good major leaguer. He’ll serve as the perfect complement to Wood in this lineup.

Brady House and Daylen Lile have both shown their promising moments. Lile finished fifth in last year’s NL Rookie of the Year voting, and House was once considered a top-100 prospect in the sport. Also, Luis Garcia Jr. posted a 110 wRC+ just two seasons ago, and he could take a stride toward this level yet again in 2026.

Outside of these few names, the Nationals’ lineup is truly showing signs of being in rebuild mode. However, if they find themselves winning a larger number of games, it’ll likely be because this group of young stars has found its stride.

Notable Depth/Bench

C Drew Milas, INF José Tena, OF Christian Franklin, OF Joey Wiemer

Similar to their lineup, there isn’t a ton to write home about with the Nationals’ depth, but there are some things to watch.

Although he has yet to be a league-average hitter through his first three seasons, José Tena was once hailed as a promising middle infielder in the Cleveland Guardians’ system. With the Nationals being a young, relatively inexperienced squad, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him get a decent amount of playing time at points during the season.

Through the first 180 games of his big-league career, Joey Wiemer has had moments where he’s looked like a league-average hitter. Unfortunately, those have remained flashes, as he has yet to put it together over a full season and has bounced between multiple organizations. Similarly to Tena, though, Wiemer could get another decent look at some point this season if things go his way.

Projected Starting Rotation

Despite not being a group that immediately jumps off the page, the Nationals’ pitching staff features a few interesting pieces.

For their ace, Cade Cavalli, this season is his first real shot to make an impact at the big-league level. Once regarded as one of the most promising pitching prospects in the game, he’s been held to just 53 career innings due to injuries. Now healthy, he looked sharp this spring, not allowing a run through his four starts. He’ll be the most interesting name to watch here by a wide margin.

Miles Mikolas will likely be a sizable question mark due to his performance for the Cardinals last season and his poor spring training showing. At the very least, he’s going to be an important innings eater for this ballclub, even though he hasn’t posted an ERA below 4.78 since 2022.

Similar to Mikolas, Jake Irvin will also fit into the innings-eater role after a 5.70 ERA in 180 innings in the big leagues last season.

Aside from Cavalli, Foster Griffin may be the other most interesting arm this club has to offer right away. 2026 will be his first season back in Major League Baseball, after he spent the past three seasons reviving his career for the Yomiuri Giants in NPB. He did well while overseas, most notably notching a 1.62 ERA in 78 innings last season.

Zack Littell will be a nice piece for this team to add to the back of the rotation, as he’s joining the team after two straight sub-3.85 ERA seasons for the Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays.

The Nationals could also see top pitching prospects Jarlin Susana (JB No. 54) and Luis Perales (JB No. 69) make a big-league impact later this season. Both right-handers are exciting arms and could immediately fit into this rotation nicely with a strong showing in the upper-minors.

Projected Bullpen

To put it simply, the Nationals’ bullpen was a major weak point for them during the 2025 campaign. Last season, the Nationals’ bullpen ranked dead last in the big leagues with a 5.59 combined ERA, and they did little to address these struggles during the offseason.

According to RosterResource, the closer job is set to be split between three arms: RHP Clayton Beeter, RHP Cole Henry, and RHP Brad Lord.

Of these three arms, Beeter is the biggest name to watch. Projections models view him favorably, as he posted strong strikeout numbers last season. He had one of the lowest ERAs in their bullpen (4.26) and has the stuff to back it up. As a former second-round pick, he’s a name that could take a step forward this season.

Outlook

As I said in the introduction, this season will be more about the future than the present for the Washington Nationals. With an opportunity to build both momentum and experience with their youngsters, this will supersede competing for the time being, and that’s okay.

4. Miami Marlins

2025 Record: 79-83, Finished Third in the NL East

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

Although they’re the second-weakest team in the division, the Marlins are building a strong core of young talent capable of hitting their way to victory. Last season, the Marlins finished much better than expected (79-83), and it was largely because of their offense.

Kyle Stowers will be leading the charge for this group, as he blossomed into the star he was once expected to be as a young prospect in the Orioles system. He made his first All-Star team and became the first Marlin since Jeff Conine to homer in the Midsummer Classic, thanks to his performance in the game’s first-ever swing-off.

Unfortunately, his breakout, 149-wRC+ season was cut short due to injury, and he is reported to start the year on the injured list with a hamstring strain. Hopefully he doesn’t miss too much time and this can be the first full season we get to see of the revitalized version of Stowers.

Alongside Stowers, Otto Lopez, and Xavier Edwards will combine to form a serviceable middle-infield duo, as they’ve both shown flashes of brilliance. For example, Edwards became just the second Marlin in the team’s history to hit for the cycle back in 2024.

Agustin Ramirez and Jakob Marsee both stood out as promising young stars during their first taste of the big leagues last season. Ramirez slugged 21 homers in his rookie campaign, while Marsee posted a 133 wRC+ with 2.2 fWAR in his first 55 big-league games. Also, Marsee took home NL Rookie of the Month honors in August.

Also, Owen Caissie (JB No. 48) will get his first real shot at consistent big-league playing time this season after being the key piece of the Edward Cabrera deal this winter.

Even though this offense may not be able to compete with the three teams above them, this group could end up being quite strong if their strong showings from 2025 continue.

Notable Depth/Bench

C/1B Liam Hicks, UTL Javier Sanoja, OF Heriberto Hernández

On the bench, the Marlins will have some capable big leaguers as well.

For starters, Heriberto Hernandez posted a 118 wRC+ through 87 games for the club last season, and he followed that up with a strong showing during spring training. He’s a name that could factor into the starting lineup at points this season.

After a 98 wRC+ for the Marlins in 2025, Liam Hicks should serve as a solid backup for Agustin Ramirez behind the dish. He’ll allow for the Marlins to get league-average offensive production during Ramirez’s off days, which will be quite important.

Projected Starting Rotation

Similar to their lineup, the Marlins have a pretty interesting rotation heading into 2026.

At the top of this group is the former NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara, who’s looking to bounce back after a rough 2025 campaign. With Alcantara now a full year removed from Tommy John surgery, there’s a good chance that the result this year is far better than his 5.36 ERA from last season.

Right behind him in the rotation is Eury Perez, who has the opportunity to emerge as the bright flamethrower he was once hailed to be. Just like Alcantara, Perez struggled to recapture his old self in his first year back from Tommy John surgery last season.

But, with all the talent and youth in the world on his side, the future still looks quite encouraging for the 22-year-old.

In the middle of the rotation, former third-overall pick Max Meyer looks to stay healthy and showcase the tools that once made him such a promising prospect.

He’s pitched fewer than 128 innings across parts of three big-league seasons, showing positive moments during this time. But, without consistent time spent on the field, he’s been unable to put it together for a full season’s worth of starts.

A pair of veterans rounds out the back of the rotation in Chris Paddack and Janson Junk, who should both be capable of holding down innings until the arrival of Thomas White (JB No. 19) and Robby Snelling (JB No. 25) later this season.

Projected Bullpen

In addition to the rotation, the Marlins’ bullpen has the chance to be pretty solid, too.

The biggest piece of this group will be Pete Fairbanks, whom the Marlins inked to a one-year, $13 million deal to be their closer this winter. Fairbanks is coming off his third straight season with at least 23 saves, and he’s expected to be a lockdown arm to help support this team.

Despite a relatively poor 2025 season, projection models seem to love LHP Andrew Nardi. His ERA of 5.07 last season was much higher than his xERA of 2.81, and he posted an impressive strikeout rate above 33%. He’s a name that’s been slept on in this group, as he’s shown the foundations of being a very solid bullpen option.

Aside from these two arms, Anthony Bender and John King are also well-liked by projection models, meaning that if all goes to plan, the Marlins could have at least four very solid weapons to turn the ball over to late in games.

Outlook

After digging a little deeper into the Marlins’ 2026 roster, there’s a lot more to like than may immediately meet the eye. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix has done a very good job of building a good, young core that could compete in the near future if these players continue developing.

With the health of their young arms, full seasons out of Kyle Stowers and Jakob Marsee, and the addition of top prospect Owen Caissie, this team is showing all the right signs of being an underrated squad.

They’ll only get better as the season moves on, too, as the team adds top prospects like Robby Snelling, Joe Mack, and Thomas White into the mix.

3. Atlanta Braves

2025 Record: 76-86, Finished 4th in the NL East

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

Despite not living up to the expectations last season, the Braves have one of the strongest lineups in baseball.

The biggest star on the team is Ronald Acuña Jr., who put together yet another amazing campaign in 2025 despite only playing 95 games. The 28-year-old put up 3.5 fWAR with 21 homers and a 161 wRC+ in this span, showing his excellence. He’s also a former MVP winner and the creator of the 40-70 club.

Acuña isn’t the only MVP candidate in this lineup, either. Austin Riley has consistently been one of the league’s best third basemen, as he’s had three 30-homer campaigns. Matt Olson is a modern-day Iron Man, as he hasn’t missed a game since he joined the Braves while also breaking their single-season home run record in 2023.

Riley and Olson have both finished in the top 10 of MVP voting multiple times throughout their respective careers.

Their catcher, Drake Baldwin, is coming off a Rookie of the Year Award-winning season, as he’s slowly become one of the best catchers in baseball. He was one of just seven catchers in the sport to post a 125 or better wRC+, and he had the ninth-highest fWAR (3.1) of these players.

Michael Harris II, a former Rookie of the Year Award winner himself, is still capable of doing some significant damage. He hasn’t finished with a league-average wRC+ in the last two seasons, but he’s hit 36 home runs between both of these campaigns and shown flashes of his former self along the way.

Ozzie Albies is in a similar spot to Harris, as he’s had a noticeable decline over the past two years after previously being one of the league’s best second basemen. 2026 will be an important bounce-back year for him, as he’s nearing the end of his contract with the Braves.

Notable Depth/Bench

C Jonah Heim, INF Kyle Farmer, UTL Jorge Mateo, OF Eli White

While the Braves’ bench may not be anything too special, there are some solid big leaguers in this group.

The main name that immediately stands out when looking at the bench is catcher Jonah Heim. The former World Series champion, one-time All-Star, and Gold Glove winner has had a few very good seasons, but has seen his production dip dramatically over the last two seasons. But, with Sean Murphy beginning the year on the IL, he could be a quality backup option for Drake Baldwin.

He’s joined by a trio of multi-year big leaguers in Farmer, Mateo, and White, who will all play a role in helping this team’s depth early on in the season. Especially with the injuries Sean Murphy and Ha-Seong Kim currently face, this group will be important.

Projected Starting Rotation

Even though their lineup brings significant thump, the Braves’ rotation is going to be the team’s true test.

Currently, the Braves are projected to begin the season with four notable injuries to their starting rotation. The two biggest injuries sustained are by Spencer Schwellenbach and AJ Smith-Shawver. Schwellenbach will be out until the middle of the season, and Smith-Shawver will miss the entire campaign due to Tommy John surgery.

Even with these injuries, though, the top of the Braves’ rotation is strong. Former Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale will be the team’s ace, which should inspire some confidence in the success of this group. After all, Sale has pitched to an ERA under 2.60 across the last two years, racking up 10 fWAR in this span.

Right behind him will be Spencer Strider, who once looked like he had the potential to be the best starting pitcher in the sport before he underwent surgery to repair a torn UCL. Last season was a rough first full year back, as his ERA ballooned and his strikeout rates plummeted.

Reynaldo López and Grant Holmes can be quality options for the back end of this rotation as well. López is just two years removed from a season where he finished with an ERA of under 2.00 in 25 starts and showed a lot of promise through 21 starts in 2025.

The biggest question for this group will likely be Bryce Elder, who has struggled significantly in the past two seasons after making his first All-Star team in 2023. With a hard-hit rate in the 22nd percentile, his success is not guaranteed.

Projected Bullpen

If their rotation ends up running into trouble, the Braves have built a very solid bullpen that can cover legitimate innings late in the game.

The Braves have arguably the best one-two punch in their closer-setup positions between Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suarez. These two combined to save nearly 70 games in 2025, and they’re both projected to follow a similar pattern in 2026.

Projection models have liked Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer, expecting them to both finish with an ERA in the mid-3.00s with high strikeout numbers. This duo will allow the Braves to get even more quality innings from their bullpen, allowing them to keep games close until it’s time to turn the ball over to Iglesias or Suarez.

Didier Fuentes is another name to watch here, as his name had plenty of helium during spring training. He forced his way onto the team’s Opening Day roster as a 20-year-old with 18 strikeouts in 13.2 innings of one-run baseball.

Outlook

Overall, the success of the Atlanta Braves will hinge greatly on their rotation and their ability to see bounce-back performances from some of their best hitters. Before the 2025 season, the Braves hadn’t seen a losing season since 2017, and this roster is certainly capable of turning things back towards this consistent stretch of winning.

If things go south for this team, we could be looking at a similar result as last season. Multiple of their best players post impressive final lines, but the team itself is unable to put things together to reach the postseason.

Regardless, this balance between potential success and yet another disappointing season makes them not just one of the most interesting teams in the NL East, but the National League as a whole.

2. New York Mets

2025 Record: 83-79, Finished 2nd in the NL East

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

After a flurry of moves this winter, the Mets’ lineup is looking far different than any year in recent memory. Five of their nine starters have never appeared in a regular-season game for the club, meaning this team is full of new faces.

Their biggest acquisition this winter was Bo Bichette, who signed a three-year deal worth $126 million, making him one of the sport’s highest-paid players by AAV. His bat has spoken for itself, as he’s led the AL in hits twice throughout his career and routinely posted a wRC+ in the 120s.

The biggest challenge for Bichette this year will be the shift to third base, a position he’s never played during his MLB career. Regardless, his presence in the lineup will be felt immediately.

On the right side of the infield, the Mets brought in second baseman Marcus Semien in a one-for-one swap with the Texas Rangers for Brandon Nimmo. Semien is set to make a sizable impact in this club’s veteran leadership and defensively, as he’s remained elite with the glove despite a disappointing 2025 campaign with the bat.

Luis Robert Jr. is in a similar position to Semien, as he’s looking to recapture the 2023 production that had him finishing the year with 38 homers and a 129 wRC+. The Mets hope that a change of scenery could help him return to his former glory, and only time will tell whether or not this is the case.

Jorge Polanco is going to fill the void left by Pete Alonso at first base, and, similar to Bo Bichette, this position will be a new experiment for him. However, with Polanco posting a career-high wRC+ and a career-low strikeout rate last season, the Mets are willing to take this defensive risk with the offensive potential he possesses.

Carson Benge (JB No. 11) will make the Opening Day roster after an impressive spring that saw him slash .366/.435/.439. After climbing the prospect rankings quickly last season, Benge is expected to be yet another young player to have a massive impact on this team right after he makes his debut.

Of course, the Mets will also still have a duo of superstars in Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto to serve as the primary offensive leaders of this team.

Soto posted nearly 6.0 fWAR and hit 43 homers in his first season in the orange and blue, while also discovering the stolen base skills that allowed him to lead the league with 38 steals. As for Francisco Lindor, the Puerto Rican shortstop has reached the 6.0 fWAR mark three times in his first five years with the Mets, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Notable Depth/Bench

1B/3B Mark Vientos, C Luis Torrens, OF Tyrone Taylor, UTL Vidal Bruján

As for the bench, the Mets are lacking a little bit with their depth.

After a rough showing during the regular season, the World Baseball Classic, and spring training, Mark Vientos will likely open the season on the bench as opposed to former first-rounder Brett Baty. Even with his struggles, he’ll be the strongest player here, as he’s just two years removed from a 27-homer campaign.

The next-best option off the bench is Tyrone Taylor, who finished as a below-league-average hitter last season. In 2024, he posted a .701 OPS for the Mets in 130 games, and if he can get anywhere close to this production again, he’ll be a decent depth option for them in the outfield.

Projected Starting Rotation

Even with arguably the strongest lineup in the NL East, the Mets’ rotation has the potential to shine even brighter.

The ace of this group is new acquisition Freddy Peralta, who came over from the Milwaukee Brewers in a January blockbuster. Last season, as the ace of the best team in baseball, Peralta finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting on the heels of his second All-Star selection. He struck out 204 batters in just 176.2 innings pitched, while maintaining a WHIP just above 1.00.

Nolan McLean (JB No. 3) will have all eyes on him during his first full big-league campaign, and he looks ready for the challenge. He was a part of the WBC runner-up Team USA at 23 years old, and he was nothing short of dominant during his first 48 major-league innings in 2025. McLean posted an absurd 196 ERA+ during this time while also striking out 57 batters.

While Peralta and McLean will get the most attention out of this rotation, the other three starters who complete this group have all made All-Star teams during their career and have had very good periods.

Peralta isn’t the only All-Star in this rotation, as Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, and David Peterson have all received at least one All-Star nod in their careers. Last season, Holmes was the best starting pitcher in this rotation, and he did this during his first season as a major-league starter.

He made 31 starts, pitching to a 114 ERA+ with 129 strikeouts and a 1.304 WHIP. If he can repeat this excellence yet again in 2026, the Mets have yet another weapon that’ll be feared by opposing lineups every five days.

Projected Bullpen

Following a similar trend as their lineup, the Mets’ bullpen will feature multiple new faces in 2026 after the departure of Edwin Diaz in free agency. While this is a sizable blow to the stability of their bullpen, they did make some moves to try to replace his production.

The first of these moves was the acquisition of Devin Williams, whom the Mets originally had hoped to pair with Diaz as a setup man before his departure. The former NL Rookie of the Year winner had the worst season of his career in 2025, but he had never posted an ERA above 2.50 in a full season before that campaign.

Along with Williams, the Mets brought in Luke Weaver, a quality Swiss Army knife from the other side of town. As a reliever, Weaver has been able to do anything he’s called upon. From saving games to being a valuable setup man, he’s succeeded in each of these roles. He’s expected to continue this role in 2026, but focus more on being a setup man for Williams.

Outlook

Just two seasons ago, the Mets were two wins away from their first World Series appearance since 2015, and there’s a very real chance they could make a run again in 2026. Despite not being the top team in our NL East rankings, they possess a menacing lineup, a strong rotation, and a good-enough bullpen to carry them to postseason success.

With the Mets yet again being a top-two spender in baseball, and the new core they’ve brought in, all eyes are on this team to be a legitimate contender in 2026.

1. Philadelphia Phillies

2025 Record: 96-66, Finished 1st in the NL East

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

For six straight years, the Braves sat atop the division as the best team in the NL East. That changed in 2024, when the Phillies began their streak of back-to-back division titles, and they’re looking to continue this streak in 2026 with a very dangerous lineup.

There are few teams in the sport that possess as strong a top-three as the Phillies.

At the leadoff spot is Trea Turner, the speedy shortstop who finished fifth in MVP voting last season while taking home his second career batting title. He’s nearly racked up 15 fWAR through his first three years with the Phillies, and he could allow this number to reach 20 with a strong 2026 season.

Hitting right behind him is one of the most feared sluggers in the sport, Kyle Schwarber, who the Phillies brought back on a five-year, $150 million deal during the winter meetings. Since first joining the club in 2022, Schwarber has hit 187 homers, finished as an MVP runner-up, and made two All-Star teams along the way.

In the three hole is Bryce Harper, a true generational talent who has also dominated despite adversity during his time with the Phillies. Harper is coming off back-to-back seasons with 27 or more homers, and he won the second MVP award of his career just a few seasons ago. Despite what some may say, Harper is still elite and just as much of a threat as he’s ever been.

The rest of this lineup is littered with veterans from the top down. The Phillies managed to bring back catcher J.T. Realmuto on a three-year deal worth $45 million, and he’s still a productive hitter despite his age. During his six years with the club, Realmuto has never posted an fWAR below 2.0.

Aside from other familiar faces such as Brandon Marsh, Bryson Stott, and Alec Bohm, the Phillies will see the debut of Justin Crawford (JB No. 79) on Opening Day. With elite speed and a very good hit tool, he could be a dynamic addition to this group and help provide even more RBI opportunities for the top of the order.

Notable Depth/Bench

C Rafael Marchán, UTL Edmundo Sosa, UTL Otto Kemp, UTL Dylan Moore

On the bench, the Phillies have some quality players they can turn to in a pinch.

Edmundo Sosa is arguably the best player of this group, as he’s been a productive role player for the team over the past few seasons. He routinely grades out as a fantastic defender, and he’s been an above-league-average hitter in the past two seasons by wRC+.

Otto Kemp will be another name to watch from this bunch, as he tore the cover off the ball in Triple-A last season before his promotion. He slashed .310/.417/.570 with 16 homers, indicating that there might be the potential for decent production from him in 2026.

Projected Starting Rotation

In addition to their lineup, the Phillies possess quite a hard-hitting rotation.

Cristopher Sánchez leads this rotation after taking a massive step from a breakout star into one of the best pitchers in baseball last season. Sánchez was one of only three pitchers to have more than 6.0 fWAR in 2025, and he was able to finish second in the NL Cy Young race as a result. He was recently able to turn his production into a six-year, $107 million extension.

After consistently being one of the best right-handed pitchers in the sport, last season was a very different story for Aaron Nola. He finished with the highest ERA he’s ever recorded in his career (6.01) across just 94.1 innings. This will be a big potential bounce-back campaign for Nola, and he showed that this was very possible with a strong showing for Team Italy during the WBC.

The No. 3 starter in this rotation, Jesús Luzardo, also recently earned an extension. He was a force in his first year as part of the Phillies’ rotation last season, as he covered 183.2 innings of sub-4.00 ERA play, while also notching 216 strikeouts as well. He’ll be a lockdown part of this group again in 2026, especially in the absence of Zack Wheeler.

Andrew Painter (JB No. 21) is a fascinating part of this group, as the top prospect is currently slated to be the team’s fifth starter. Despite struggling in the minors last year during his return to the mound for the first time in a regular-season contest since 2022, Painter showed off a sharp arsenal this spring. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him become a key part of this group in no time.

Of course, losing Zack Wheeler until April will hurt this club, but they can certainly get by with their current rotation. When he makes his way back to the mound, don’t be surprised if this is one of the strongest starting fives in the sport.

Projected Bullpen

Following the same trend as their rotation, the Phillies’ bullpen will be tough for any lineup in the game to handle.

The biggest name of this group is Jhoan Duran, whom the club acquired at last year’s trade deadline in a blockbuster swap. The flamethrowing right-hander was ranked as the fourth-best reliever on our power rankings, and it makes sense considering he’s recorded 90 saves over his first four big-league seasons.

Left-hander José Alvarado will be an interesting name to keep an eye on as the season progresses. Before he got suspended for a performance-enhancing substance, Alvarado was a key member of Rob Thompson’s staff. He’s currently slated to be the club’s setup man, and he could return to his dominant ways yet again in 2026.

Orion Kerkering and Brad Keller have also proved to be very solid arms over their big-league careers. Keller, a member of this year’s edition of Team USA, joins the club after a 2.07 ERA with the Chicago Cubs last season. Kerkering, aside from one October mistake, has been a steady option for Rob Thompson, as he’s posted an ERA+ above 130 in each of his three seasons.

Outlook

Last season, the Phillies won 96 games, the most the club had won since the 2011 campaign. With an almost identical core that features some of the game’s biggest stars, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with yet again in 2026.

Winning this year will be even more important for the Phillies due to their core’s rapid aging. Schwarber, Harper, and Turner will all be 33 at some point this season, and three of the other members of their lineup will be over 30 in 2026. Although they’re still an elite bunch, this may be one of the final years of World Series competition this group can provide.