Philadelphia Phillies rotation will decide how good or bad this team can be

You believe in the Philadelphia Phillies starting lineup. You probably need to see a lot more to have any faith in their bullpen. There is no faith whatsoever in their defensive abilities. The Phillies rotation, however, can split fans much more.

The Phillies have the potential to have one of the best rotations in baseball this year. Will it be the greatest strength? Absolutely not. The three-run home run is what will win them more games than anything else.

But let’s not ignore the starting rotation. They could be the group of players that ultimately decides if the Phillies win or fail.

The Philadelphia Phillies starting rotation will help the team exceed expectations or finish around .500 again.

There’s no denying the excellence of Zack Wheeler. In two seasons with the Phillies, he has become a true ace.

Last year’s Cy Young runner-up performance filled a desperate need for the ball club. While Aaron Nola continued to raise some questions about his abilities, Wheeler was one of the best pitchers in the big leagues. The key for him is getting and then staying healthy.

On the topic of Nola, he should be voted Most Likely to Have a Great or Terrible Season in the Phillies’ media guide. We have seen him pitch like a number one many times before. Last year’s performance left a lot to be desired. How he does may have the largest impact on the Phillies. He needs to be more than average. From Nola, the Phillies need a guy that would look capable of being a number one on most other teams.

Behind him are three very different questions marks. Ranger Suarez had an impressive run in the rotation last season. Unlocking those abilities and sustaining them can make Philadelphia a far better team than the average one they have been in recent years.

Another guy full of potential is Zach Eflin, Probably more of a back-of-the-rotation guy at his absolute best, numbers similar to what he has done these last three years would be fine to get from him. During this stretch, Eflin has gone 18-22 with a 4.12 ERA. It’s not great. It’s about the best we can hope for.

Finally, there’s Kyle Gibson. His performance last year with the Texas Rangers was out of this world for his career. Gibson has a career much more closely resembling the 5.09 ERA performance he had with the Phillies down the stretch. However, if he is able to find what made him an All-Star last year for the 2022 season, the Phillies should be thankful.

With Opening Day approaching, my confidence level in the Philadelphia Phillies rotation is about a five. It’s not nearly as good as it needs to be. Everyone will need to have one of their best seasons for it to work. Not every game can be won with a deep Nick Castellanos drive into the left field bleachers. Sometimes, you need to win a pitcher’s duel.